Services: February 8, 2014, at 1:00 P.M. at First Baptist Church on First Street in Clearlake Oaks, CA.
Jess Willard was born in Bray, Oklahoma on November 10, 1915 and went home to be with the Lord on January 22, 2014.
Jess was preceded in death in 2004 by Ruby May Willard, the love of his wife for 59 years.
Jess is survived by his daughter Mary Louise Willard Waller of Merced, CA and his sons Richard Willard of Hidden Valley Lake, CA and Ken Willard of Sprague River, OR and five grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Jess relocated from Oklahoma during the great depression with his parents and family as farm laborers and settled in the central coast area of California.
Jess and his brothers helped construct Fort Ord, Camp Hunter Liggett and Camp Roberts during WW2. From that experience the Willard brothers constructed many custom homes in the Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy and Hollister area. From this, Jess went into the trucking business and then into the dairy business in Atwater and San Martin, CA. Jess also ran a beef operation in the hills around San Martin, Gilroy and Aromas.
After outgrowing the dairy facilities in San Martin, Jess went on to design and construct an ultra-modern dairy in Atwater. Jess tried to retire to his pasture ranch in Chowchilla but couldn’t just sit back in the easy chair. So Jess bought a ranch up in Sprague River, Oregon in 2002 and after the love of his life Ruby died he sold it to his son Ken.
Jess loved his family, the ranch life and his border collies.
Two of Jess’s favorite sayings where that “work never hurt anyone” and “find a hobby you love and make it your occupation.”
Jess Willard November 10, 1915 – January 22, 2014
