Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Wills, Joseph D., 1933 

************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm
************************************************

JOSEPH DUDLEY WILLS

   Joseph Dudley Wills, a well-known an esteemed resident of Sedley, died at 
Raiford Hospital, Franklin, April 29, after a brief illness.  Mr. Wills was 
the son of the late Octavius and Mrs. Wager Gardner Wills and was born at the 
old homestead near Sedley April 12, 1893.

  He served throughout the World War, sailing for France May 26, 1918, with 
Co. F, 305th Engineers Regiment, and was in battles at St. Mihiel, the Argonne 
district and in Meuse-Argonne.  He received an honorable discharge from the 
Army June 11, 1919, and was a member of Southampton Post No. 73, the American 
Legion.

   Returning home he became an employee of the Surry Lumber Company until a 
few years ago, and has since been employed in Franklin.  On October 19, 1919, 
he married Miss Lucille Williams and to them one son Rudolph, was born who 
died November 9, 1922.

   For many years he held his church membership at Black Creek, changing to 
Grace Memorial Church when he made his home in Sedley.  He was a faithful and 
consistent member, a strong supporter of its organizations and of all 
worthwhile movements beneficial to humanity in his community.  In his home 
life his devotion and loyalty was rarely, if ever surpassed.

   He is survived by his widow; the following sisters and brothers, Mrs. 
Lorenzo Bailey, Mrs. J.G. Roberts of Windsor, Mrs. M.D. Boone of Norfolk, Mrs. 
Rabey Beale of Franklin, A.O. Wills of Franklin, W.E. Wills of Windsor and 
N.W. Wills of Sedley.

   Funeral services were conducted from Grace Memorial Church Sunday afternoon 
at 3 o’clock in the presence of a large assembly of friends and the services 
were conducted by the Reverends H.B. Owen, J.A Hughes, H.F. Turner, J. Sidney 
Cobb, E.B. White and E.R. Ferguson.  The choirs of the village churches sang 
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and "Sometime We’ll Understand," "The Old Rugged 
Cross" was sung by Mrs. R.C. Williams and Miss Virginia Williams.

   Active pallbearers were: R.L. Johnson, J.D. Owen, W.F. Lewis, G.S. 
Cornwell, H.H. Chappell, R.T. Blythe, T.B. Bell and Dr. P.P. Causey.  Friends 
of the family acted as honorary pallbearers.  Interment was made in Rosemont 
Cemetery.


Joseph Dudley WILLS, of Sedley, former Surry Lumber Co. employee, 
Army veteran of WW-I, 
b. 12 Apr 1893, near Sedley, d. 29 Apr 1933, Franklin, 
interred in Rosemont Cemetery*, Sedley, 30 Apr 1933, 
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), May 5, 1933 

*Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, 
   Rosemont list (S-75):
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/rosemont.txt 

Dudley, a carpenter, and wife Lucille appear in the 1930 Census in "Sedley 
   Village." (Jerusalem Dist. {#19}, sheet 22B) 

His Death Certificate (#9956) gives his occupation as contractor.  He died 
   of Septic Meningitis. 

Lucille 2m. James Carr BATES; they are also buried in Rosemont (S-3). 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
William J. DelMonte (JazzyBill@aol.com) 
& Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/w420j1ob.txt