Life Legacy West Liberty, Iowa Willard F. Rockwell, 93, formerly of West Liberty, died Friday, December 5, 2014 at the Panora Nursing and Rehab Center in Panora, Iowa. VIsitation will be held Tuesday, December 9, 2014 from 5-7 pm at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty. Funeral services will be held 10 am on Wednesday, December 10th at the Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the West Liberty American Legion. Burial with military honors will be in the Oak Ridge Cemetery in West Liberty. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements and on-line condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com. Willard was born May 31, 1921 in Marengo, Iowa the son of Homer and Laura Smith Rockwell. He attended West Liberty Public School through 8th grade and worked for various farmers and the railroad until his marriage in Kahoka, Missouri on August 1, 1941 to the former Leona Newton. In 1942 during WWII, Willard was inducted into the United States Army Air Force. He proudly served as a ball turret gunner and tailgunner for many missions in Southern France, Germany, Normandy, Northern France and Central Europe. Willard was a member of the 34th Bombardment Group (H) as a tail gunner on the B-24 Liberator, “Me Worry”. Staff Sergeant Rockwell won the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for his extraordinary achievement and devotion to duty during the Eighth Air Force bombing attacks on military and industrial targets in Nazi Germany. He also held the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Clusters for “meritorious achievements, coolness, courage and skill” during attacks on Nazi war making installations. After the war, he worked for a car dealership and then a construction firm that built the ALCOA plant in Bettendorf. He was hired by ALCOA and worked there as a foreman for 34 years in the Roll Shop. Willard took up golfing after retirement and achieved a hole-in-one in 1994. He enjoyed doing things for his grandchildren and taking trips to Panora, St. Louis and Indianapolis when he was able. He also loved being part of the pit-crew for go-cart racing for his grandson and stock car racing days when he helped his brother Rocky. Willard will be remembered for his devotion to his family, his “no-frills” lifestyle, love of Swanson salisbury steak dinners and daily peanut butter sandwiches, but mostly for his smile and easy going manner to all he met. Willard is survived by three sons: Michael (Sue) Rockwell of St. Charles, Missouri, Gary (Jane) Rockwell of Zionsville, Indiana, and Chuck (Debbie) Rockwell of Panora, Iowa. Five grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren and one brother William (Mert) Rockwell of West Liberty also survive. He was preceded in death by five brothers, Lowell, Milton, Wesley, Harry, Charles and Robert, wife Leona, and his parents.