Changes

| battles=[[World War I]]

| battles=[[World War I]]

| rank=Second lieutenant in Louisiana National Guard

| rank=Second lieutenant in Louisiana National Guard

| footnotes =}}

| footnotes =  

}}

}}

==Background==

==Background==

 

 

Willis was born in the Winn Parish community of Newport to a Southern Baptist couple, [[farmer]] Julius Luther Willis (1867-1934) and the former Mary Theodosia Shumaker (1866-1936). He had six siblings, all of whom he outlived. Two died before the age of three.  Julius Willis died at the age of sixty-seven from injuries sustained when he was struck by a car on the Dodson Road in Winnfield while he was attempting to retrieve a wandering cow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=54460232|title=Julius Luther Nugent|publisher=''Winn Parish Enterprise''|date=April 26, 1934|location=Winnfield, Louisiana|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref> Mary Willis died of an illness two years after her husband. The state legislator and journalist Harley Bozeman of Winnfield, a confidante of [[Huey Long]], was a [[pallbearer]] at her funeral. Julius and Mary Willis are interred at Winnfield Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=54460227|title=Mary Theodosia Shumaker Willis|publisher=''Winn Parish Enterprise''|date=November 18, 1936|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref>

Willis was born in the Winn Parish community of Newport to a Southern Baptist couple, [[farmer]] Julius Luther Willis (1867-1934) and the former Mary Theodosia Shumaker (1866-1936). He had six siblings, all of whom he outlived. Two died before the age of three.  Julius Willis died at the age of sixty-seven from injuries sustained when he was struck by a car on the Dodson Road in Winnfield while he was attempting to retrieve a wandering cow.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=54460232|title=Julius Luther Nugent|publisher=''Winn Parish Enterprise''|date=April 26, 1934|location=Winnfield, Louisiana|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref> Mary Willis died of an illness two years after her husband. The state legislator and journalist Harley Bozeman of Winnfield, a confidante of [[Huey Long]], was a pallbearer at her funeral. Julius and Mary Willis are interred at Winnfield Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=54460227|title=Mary Theodosia Shumaker Willis|publisher=''Winn Parish Enterprise''|date=November 18, 1936|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref>

 

 

==Career==

==Career==

 

 

Willis graduated in 1919 with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Louisiana College and was the first winner of the intercollegiate medal for track and field awarded  in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]]. For decades he was one of the most recognized faces on the LC campus through his position for fifty years as the superintendent of grounds and buildings.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OjpHAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA78&lpg=RA2-PA78&dq=Horace+Luther+Willis&source=bl&ots=eETbV8oV_Z&sig=IvL2AQT-ByzPelM3JdWerFCTgL4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAWoVChMI9vzY3br2xgIVgooNCh3Pww_R#v=onepage&q=Horace%20Luther%20Willis&f=false|title=Catalog of Louisiana College Session ... with Announcements for the Session ...|page=78|publisher=[[Louisiana College]]|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref><ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Willis&GSfn=H&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScnty=1148&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=54473746&df=all&|title=Horace Luther Willis|publisher=''The Alexandria Daily Town Talk'' on findagrave.com|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref> In the summer of 1932, the Louisiana College power plant was struck by a bolt of lightning and a student assistant engineer was injured. The problem was not resolve until January 1933.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/2715913/|title=Switch at Louisiana College is repaired|publisher=''Ruston Daily Leader''|date=January 26, 1933|accessdate=July 25, 2015}]</ref>  

Willis graduated in 1919 with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Louisiana College and was the first winner of the intercollegiate medal for track and field awarded in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]]. For decades he was one of the most recognized faces on the LC campus through his position for fifty years as the superintendent of grounds and buildings.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OjpHAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA78&lpg=RA2-PA78&dq=Horace+Luther+Willis&source=bl&ots=eETbV8oV_Z&sig=IvL2AQT-ByzPelM3JdWerFCTgL4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAWoVChMI9vzY3br2xgIVgooNCh3Pww_R#v=onepage&q=Horace%20Luther%20Willis&f=false|title=Catalog of Louisiana College Session ... with Announcements for the Session ...|page=78|publisher=[[Louisiana College]]|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref><ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Willis&GSfn=H&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScnty=1148&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=54473746&df=all&|title=Horace Luther Willis|publisher=''The Alexandria Daily Town Talk'' on findagrave.com|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref> In the summer of 1932, the Louisiana College power plant was struck by a bolt of lightning and a student assistant engineer was injured. The problem was not resolve until January 1933.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/2715913/|title=Switch at Louisiana College is repaired|publisher=''Ruston Daily Leader''|date=January 26, 1933|accessdate=July 25, 2015}}</ref>  

 

 

A veteran of the [[United States Army]], Willis served overseas during [[World War I]], with the 7t5h Railroad Artillery as chief mechanic before his discharge in 1919. In 1926, he was commissioned in the [[Louisiana National Guard]] as a second lieutenant; in 1943, he was placed on inactive reserve with the rank of [[major]]. Willis was highly involved in civic activities. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he served on the Pineville City Council from 1946 to 1952.<ref name=bioi/> When [[Wille Kees|Willie E. Kees, Jr.]], resigned as mayor, the council appointed Willis to complete the term which expired on June 30, 1954.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.thetowntalk.com/article/20120826/OPINION/208260321/From-Past|title=From the Past|date=August 26, 1952|publisher=''The Alexandria Daily Town Talk''|accessdate=July 24, 2015}}</ref>   

A veteran of the [[United States Army]], Willis served overseas during [[World War I]], with the 7t5h Railroad Artillery as chief mechanic before his discharge in 1919. In 1926, he was commissioned in the [[Louisiana National Guard]] as a second lieutenant; in 1943, he was placed on inactive reserve with the rank of [[major]]. Willis was highly involved in civic activities. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], he served on the Pineville City Council from 1946 to 1952.<ref name=bio/> When [[Wille Kees|Willie E. Kees, Jr.]], resigned as mayor, the council appointed Willis to complete the term which expired on June 30, 1954.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.thetowntalk.com/article/20120826/OPINION/208260321/From-Past|title=From the Past|date=August 26, 1952|publisher=''The Alexandria Daily Town Talk''|accessdate=July 24, 2015}}</ref>   

He was a member and president of the  Red River Atchafalaya and Bayou Bouef Levee Board. For a decade, he was the Pineville civil defense director.<ref name=bio/>

He was a member and president of the  Red River Atchafalaya and Bayou Bouef Levee Board. For a decade, he was the Pineville civil defense director.<ref name=bio/>