Joseph "Dave" Willingham

Joseph “Dave” Willingham, age 95, of Grants Pass, died Sunday, May 18, 2014 at Spring Village.

A memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 24, 2014 at Calvary Crossroads with Pastor Bob Bonner officiating. Private interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Hull & Hull Funeral Directors are in charge of arrangements.

Dave was born October 25, 1918 in Mesquite, Dallas County, Texas. In 1936 he graduated from Mesquite High School. He was a farmer and dairyman in his early life. He also worked as a milk delivery man for Totten Dairy in Mesquite. On April 29, 1939 in Mesquite he married Eva May Totten. He enlisted for World War II and served in the Army Air Force as a corporal and earned the Good Conduct Medal. In 1946 he moved to Ocean Beach, California and lived there until 1991. He earned associates degree in business from Cal Western University in San Diego. He worked as an electronic technician and supervisor at General Dynamics, Convair in San Diego. Dave was active in the business, church and surfing community of Ocean Beach. After his retirement he earned his real estate broker’s license and became a real estate broker. At the age of 73 in 1991 he moved to Grants Pass where he became active in the business and church community of Grants Pass.

His memberships included Ocean Beach Chamber of Commerce; Ocean Beach First Baptist church; Peninsula Kiwanis Club; Grants Pass Kiwanis Club; Calvary Crossroads Baptist Church; and was the founder of Spring Village praise and worship service and weekly Bible study. He was also a member of Baseball Academy of Young Athletes (BAYA) and President Emeritus and was the founder of BAYA in Grants Pass

Dave loved gardening, especially roses. Most of all, he loved his Lord, Jesus Christ; his family; and his country.

Survivors include four daughters, Susan E. Willingham of Lewiston, Idaho, Kathy L. Gollaher and husband Stanley of Paauilo, Hawaii, Nita A. Willingham of Grants Pass, Oregon, and Amber S. Rice and husband Jacob of Grants Pass, Oregon; a son, David Joseph Willingham of Grants Pass, Oregon; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.