Willis G. Howard, 97, of Rapid City, passed away Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at Westhills Village Health Care.

Willis was born June 30, 1924, in Elkton, SD, the son of James and Hazel (Berglund) Howard.  A three-year-old brother, Harold, welcomed Willis to the family.  In 1933, they sold the farm and moved to a farm between Bronson and Lawton, IA.  Willis attended a one-room school in Bronson.  He transferred to Lawton to attend high school and graduated in 1942.

Willis dated Nadene Law his senior year and after, until she left for Graceland College in Missouri.  Willis was drafted into the United States Army during World War II.  He served in Italy as an MP.  After the Army, Willis met Nadene again at Morningside College in Sioux City, IA, where she was attending.  Nadene had just gotten engaged to a man in Kansas.  Willis and Nadene talked, and Nadene mailed the ring back.  Willis and Nadene dated and were married on June 25, 1949.

Nadene taught music by rotating to all the public schools in Sioux City.  Willis worked for Standard Oil, TS Martin Furniture Refinishing, and Nyquist Cabinets Shop.  He then decided to go back to school at Wayne State College.  Willis went year-round and graduated in 1959 with a BA in Industrial Arts.  Willis worked two years at Climbing Hill High School in Climbing Hill, IA, teaching Biology and Industrial Arts, and was the Assistant Principal.  In 1964, Willis went to Sioux City West Junior High for five years, teaching wood working and basic electronics.  Willis then got his master's degree and went to Sioux City Central High (known as the Castle on the Hill) and started the first electronics class.  In 1981, Willis went to East High and taught electronics until he retired in 1986.

Willis loved the West.  In the summertime Willis and Nadene would travel to Yellowstone and Montana.  Willis always had a shop.  He made fine furniture, things out of leather, fixed up antique radios, and made many bolo ties.  Willis made lots of toy farm equipment and tractors from wood, which were ultimately donated to the Sioux City Museum.  Willis was a precision craftsman.  Willis also loved to play his guitars, as he rarely traveled without them.

Some time after Nadene passed away from cancer in 1995, Willis married Dorothy Poling.  They both sold their homes and moved to a beautiful acreage in the hills of Rapid City.  Willis absolutely loved it out there.  Willis built a nice shop and liked taking meticulous care of the lawn with his John Deere tractors.  Willis loved watching his stepdaughter Tamara's two young boys grow up.  He often talked highly about them.

Willis is survived by his wife Dorothy; stepdaughter, Dr. Tamara Poling and husband John Reuter, sons Ethan and Ian Reuter; stepson, Todd Reuter and wife Rosy, son Ryan, daughter Gia; nephew, Jim Howard and wife Nancy, son Tom Howard and wife Julie, daughter Tammy Baca and husband Milt; nephew, Ray Howard, son Chad Howard; and niece, Sharon McCoy and husband Dan, son Kyle McCoy, and daughter Laura McCoy.

Willis was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Nadene; brother, Harold; and niece, Myrna Howard (wife of Ray).

Services will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 14, at Big Bend Presbyterian Church.

Burial will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 15 at Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, IA.