Newport weekly independent., 1902-02-28
DIR. FORD D. WILLIS.

monia the Cause The Mourn CTS are Many for His Friends Were Legion.
 No higher commentary can hsxt, upon the life of man than % M ,sa;nn rv,o to say at it's end, he died sE ss,Jn s,',.. of friends. Not be,s ai 0n'y friendships are all on sieaoel pal ,e z of life, but rathey oauso Vno9o s1n same ties hay>%sprung from the worlds app Citation of a big heart. The ninakhay rule the world but maven +ne hearts of men. Admiration of ,,sellect is trivial when compared n :ch the strength of love and devo- ,oion. To have lived usefully, to have shown continually the depth of the heart that is in you, by acts of kind ness, charity and love, to have thus endeared yourself in the affections of the people among whom you live, is worthy of life's work. It is worthy of extolment, remembrance and sor- row. With such feelings, the people of Newport assembled at the Presby terian church Monday at ten o'clock to pay their tribute of love and respect to the memory of the late departed, who dieG rich in the number of his friends.
 Rev. l.. H. Richardson preached a very beautiful funeral sermon, eulogi- zing the deceased's high and ever loyal sense of duty, even in the face of discomfort and danger, leading eventually to his own death, an honor to his noble profession and martyr to his duty. His words of comfort were the Christians hope, picturing the bright resurrection beyond the grave, when those that sleep shall be gather ed to meet those remaining, in the air. Mrs. Maude Marshall rendered that touching hymn, ssNearer, My God To Thee.n
 The burial was held at Walnut Grove Cemetery, being in chargS of tire three lodges of which the deceased was a member. The pall- bearers were Henry Hutchinson and J. w. Grubbe, representing the lamented's close friends; Alcorn Ferguson and F. l.. Maris, the I. o. o. F.; J. J. Blanchard and George Sink, the I. o. R. M; O.. D. Watson and T. D. Kinman, Jr., the Knights of Pythias.
 Dr. Ford D. Willis was taken with pneumonia Saturday, February 18th. due probably to long drive the pre- vious day in heavy atmosphere to see a patient in Oil Trough bottom. From the first his case was recognized as dangerous by his brother, pr. l.. E. Willis, who gave him the constant at tention of a brother's affection and skill. But one lung was involved at the start, but the other became af- fected and the decline set in, which ended at 12:40 Sunday morning in death. It is related that in 8 conscious moment, shortly before the end, when his brother hastened to assure him that all was being done that science offered to save him, he murmured in weak but audible tones, Gods will be done.u His death was the resigna- ton of the Christian and he was not afraid.
 LIFE OF DECEASED.
 Ford D. Willis, the son of Doctor Virgil A. Willis and Mrs. Lucy J. Will lis, was born in Montgomery county, Missouri, January 9th, 1869. He first attended school at Montgomery Col lege and later at w Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, where he also stud jed medicine under Dr. Frank Baker.
 He was graduate of the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, being a member of the class of 1895, having the year previous to that time studied under his brother Dr. L. E. Willis in this city, and after graduation, located in Newport for the practice of his profession.
 He had succeeded in establishing a good practice, and on the third of October last, was married to Miss Addie Stacey. He was a member of three fraternal orders, the I. o. o. F., r n ID AH o.I r of D ;,, o11 oe 2 ,xxl. ~,l.