Obituaries

Wallace E. Willaman passed away November 3, 2025 at Bethany Lutheran Village, Centerville, Ohio.

Wally Willaman was a quiet, humble man with a wry sense of humor. He was a wonderful role model to his family and he treated all people with respect and in a nonjudgmental way. He loved his family and was well loved by them for his entire 103 years and 8 months. He will be missed every day by his family and friends. Never a man to complain, Wally told his daughter the day before he died that he was doing great, had no pain and loved the food he was being served!

He was born on March 9,1922 in Akron, Ohio to Wallace and Olga Willaman. He married Ruth Ebert on May 7,1943 and they lived in the Northern Kentucky area for the next 64 years until 2007 when they moved to Bethany Village in Centerville, Ohio to be closer to family. He and Ruth celebrated their 75th Anniversary in 2018 while at Bethany Village.

Before moving to Centerville, Wally was an active member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Bellevue, Kentucky. Wally worked as an optician for his entire career. He enjoyed playing golf and bowling and was very good at both well into his Eighties. He was a member of the Army during WWII (1942-1946) and served in Alaska as a “Repeater Man” sending messages down the Western US Coast regarding possible enemy attacks.

Ruth preceded him in death in 2019. Wally is survived by his son, Dennis (Carolyn) and their daughter Elizabeth (Alfred), his daughter Laurie (Bill) and their two daughters Robin (Scott) and Jill (Sebastien). He was delighted over the years by his great grandchildren – Vera, Tristan, Xavier and Elliot.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, November 23rd at Bethany Lutheran Village, Wholeness of Life Center, 6443 Far Hills Avenue, Centerville, OH 45459. Wally always gave the change in his pocket to the Salvation Army bell ringers. If you desire, you could do the same in his memory or donate to any charity of your choice.