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PAYSON, AZ -- Captain Winston Douglas Wills, CEC, USNR (Ret) of Norway MI went on Eternal Patrol on 13 September 2026 at 85 years old. He was born in Norway MI, one of ten children to the late Wm Winston Wills and Eleanor (Douglas) Wills. He graduated from Vulcan Public School, Vulcan MI in 1959 before enlisting in the U.S. Navy at the age of 17. He served for 3 years aboard the USS Rock AGSs-274, an operating submarine in the Western Pacific, where he became “Submarine Qualified”. Upon his discharge from active duty as an IC-2 (SS) in August 1962, he attended Michigan Technological University until his graduation in August 1966 with a B.S.C.E.
While at Michigan Tech, he met and married the love of his life, Helen L Eskola. They had 3 children Laura, William and Dawn. He was very proud of his children, their families and their accomplishments. He worked as a Civil Engineer for the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation for 30 years and lived in Green Bay and Superior, WI. After graduation from Michigan Tech, he received a Direct Commission in the U.S. Naval Reserves, Civil Engineering Corps (Seabees).
He served in the U.S. Navy Seabee Reserve in many positions, most notably as the
Commanding Officer of RMCB 25 and Commodore of the Second RNCR. He served both Active
and Reserves for a total of 34 years. He retired from the Navy in 1993 and retired from the
Wisconsin DOT in 1996. He held a Professional Engineers License in Wisconsin and Michigan.
In 1997 he and Helen moved back to Michigan to Lac Labelle and built a log home on the lake.
He enjoyed running his Lucky Strike Charter Fishing business on Lake Superior and going to
Camp and deer hunting with his son and grandchildren. After spending their winters in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas for 16 years they decided to quit their winter traveling, sold their log home in Lac Labelle, MI and moved to the Green Bay area near their daughter Dawn and her family. He spent his summers and fall at his camp in Michigan’s Keweenaw hunting and fishing.
In 2021 they sold the camp in Michigan and purchased their home in the mountains of Payson,
AZ a few minutes from where their daughter had moved with her family. He enjoyed the warmer
winters, watching the elk and other wildlife around town, going on daily walks with his wife and going to his weekly veterans coffee meetings.
He was a member of the Elks, American Legion Post 230, a Life member of the United States
Submarine Veterans, The Holland Club, a Life member of Navy Seabees Veterans of America
and can be found on the Navy Memorial Wall in Washington DC or online at https://navylog.navymemorial.org/wills-winston
Besides his wife of 62 years, he is survived by his daughters Laura L Medus of Charleston SC, Dawn M Wills of Payson AZ and his son William W Wills and daughter-in-law Marie K. Wills of Superior WI: 10 grandchildren, Jodi, Courtney, Brittany, Douglas, Travis, Jazmine, Felicia, Cody, Brianna and Garret. 7 great-grandchildren Patrick, Nadia, Logan, Tanner, Makenzie, Lucas and Winter. 4 sisters Eleanor Gray, Susan Pinter, Sally Arcand, Jacalyn Menghini, 2 brothers Tom Wills, Edward Wills and many nieces and nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by Sister Nancy Chellew and Brothers James Wills and Peter Wills.
A memorial service celebrating his life will be held in Norway Michigan at a later date with his final resting place to be in the National Cemetery in Prescott AZ