1930
Francis
2017
Francis Lee Will
October 6, 1930 — August 13, 2017
Francis Lee Will, 86, of Madison Heights, passed away on Sunday, August 13, 2017.
He was born on October 6, 1930 in Quicksburg, Virginia, a son of the late Albert S. Will
and Grace F. Will.
Francis was preceded in death by three brothers, Roland D. Will and wife Ruth, Fred E. Will and wife Dorothy and Richard A. Will.
Francis retired from Norfolk Southern Railway after forty-three years of service. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. He was a long time member of the Amherst VFW Post 9877 and was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lynchburg, VA. serving in the choir among other duties.
Francis enjoyed the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Myrtle Beach and traveling to National Parks. He loved hiking the Appalachian Trail and camping. He had a lifelong passion for steam engines that began as a child growing up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He started his career with the Southern Railway Company as a telegrapher in Broadway, VA. His fondest assignment on the railroad was CR Tower in Alexandria, VA. This began in 1949 and ended in 1958 with the modernization of the railroad. It was while he was working at CR Tower that he met his future wife, Della Lyons Will. After CR Tower was decommissioned, Francis and his family moved to the Lynchburg area where he worked at the Arrington, Amherst, Monroe and Lynchburg railway stations until his retirement in 1992.
He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great –grandfather. He took great pride in all three of his children and was actively engaged in all of their pursuits in life.
Francis is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Della Lyons Will; three children, Sandra Driskill and her husband, Buddy Driskill of Evington, VA, Marlon Will and his wife, Suzanne of Marietta, GA, and Sharon E. Will of Madison Heights, VA; four grandchildren, Jason Driskill, of Rustburg, VA, Allison Driskill Deaton and her husband, David, of Evington VA, Ryan Will of Washington, DC, and Meagan Will of New York, NY; three great grandchildren, Tyler, Nathan and Carter Deaton of Evington, VA.
The family will receive friends at Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg, on Friday August 18, 2017 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. A Celebration of Francis’s life will be held at 12:00 p.m., Saturday August 19, 2017 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with Rev. Steve Shackelford officiating. Burial will follow in Amherst Cemetery. Military honor will be provided by American Legion Post-16.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 7336 Timberlake Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502, or American Legion Post-16, P.O. Box 10216, Lynchburg, VA 24506.
Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.
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He was born on October 6, 1930 in Quicksburg, Virginia, a son of the late Albert S. Will
and Grace F. Will.
Francis was preceded in death by three brothers, Roland D. Will and wife Ruth, Fred E. Will and wife Dorothy and Richard A. Will.
Francis retired from Norfolk Southern Railway after forty-three years of service. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. He was a long time member of the Amherst VFW Post 9877 and was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lynchburg, VA. serving in the choir among other duties.
Francis enjoyed the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Myrtle Beach and traveling to National Parks. He loved hiking the Appalachian Trail and camping. He had a lifelong passion for steam engines that began as a child growing up in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He started his career with the Southern Railway Company as a telegrapher in Broadway, VA. His fondest assignment on the railroad was CR Tower in Alexandria, VA. This began in 1949 and ended in 1958 with the modernization of the railroad. It was while he was working at CR Tower that he met his future wife, Della Lyons Will. After CR Tower was decommissioned, Francis and his family moved to the Lynchburg area where he worked at the Arrington, Amherst, Monroe and Lynchburg railway stations until his retirement in 1992.
He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great –grandfather. He took great pride in all three of his children and was actively engaged in all of their pursuits in life.
Francis is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Della Lyons Will; three children, Sandra Driskill and her husband, Buddy Driskill of Evington, VA, Marlon Will and his wife, Suzanne of Marietta, GA, and Sharon E. Will of Madison Heights, VA; four grandchildren, Jason Driskill, of Rustburg, VA, Allison Driskill Deaton and her husband, David, of Evington VA, Ryan Will of Washington, DC, and Meagan Will of New York, NY; three great grandchildren, Tyler, Nathan and Carter Deaton of Evington, VA.
The family will receive friends at Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg, on Friday August 18, 2017 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. A Celebration of Francis’s life will be held at 12:00 p.m., Saturday August 19, 2017 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with Rev. Steve Shackelford officiating. Burial will follow in Amherst Cemetery. Military honor will be provided by American Legion Post-16.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 7336 Timberlake Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502, or American Legion Post-16, P.O. Box 10216, Lynchburg, VA 24506.
Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.
View Tribute Video
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