Cover photo for Ssg Willis "Papa" Hail, Army (Ret)'s Obituary
Ssg Willis "Papa" Hail, Army (Ret) Profile Photo
1935 Ssg 2021

Ssg Willis "Papa" Hail, Army (Ret)

September 26, 1935 — April 12, 2021

A Celebration of Life for SSG Willis "Papa" Hail, ARMY (Ret), Clarksville, will be Friday, April 16, 2021 at 12:00 PM at Sykes Funeral Home. Family will serve as pallbearers. Burial will follow at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, KY. Full military honors will be rendered. Bro. Tom Lynch will officiate. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until the hour of service. Willis passed away on April 12, 2021 surrounded by his loving family.

He was born on September 26, 1935 to Joseph and Bertha Boatman Hail in Anadarko, OK. He retired with 20 years of service from the United States Army. Willis served in Vietnam and was the recipient of a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Air Medal among other meritorious awards. After retirement, he built radio towers for 15 years. He loved his family, enjoyed hunting, fishing, watching reruns of Gunsmoke, playing Scrabble and card games, and the Atlanta Braves.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his siblings: Wilburn Hail, William Hail, and Wilma Brakebill. Willis is survived by his wife of 66 years, Betty Hail; children: Donna (Tom) Laliberte, Barry (Karen) Hail, and Terri (Mike) Childress; grandchildren: Sherry (Mark) Cooley, David (Theresia) Varela, David Laliberte, Mitchell Laliberte, Justin Childress, and Brittany (Jarrett) Grasty; great-grandchildren: Dillon, Holley, David Kyle, Cooper, Jasmine, and Oliver; siblings: Willard Hail, Willie Hail, and Bert McDuffie.

Please visit Willis' guestbook at www.sykesfuneralhome.com and share a memory with the family.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ssg Willis "Papa" Hail, Army (Ret), please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Friday, April 16, 2021

10:00am - 12:00 pm (Central time)

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory

424 Franklin St, Clarksville, TN 37040

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Celebration of Life

Friday, April 16, 2021

Starts at 12:00 pm (Central time)

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory

424 Franklin St, Clarksville, TN 37040

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

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