Christopher Kelly Willis grew up in Paw Paw, Michigan, as the middle child in a family of five. Attorney Michael John Willis and Attorney Shaun Patrick Willis are his two older brothers and USMC Sgt. Mariko Willis and Brooke B. Willis are his two younger sisters. Van Buren Probate Judge Frank D. Willis and Bobbi Kelly Willis are his father and mother.
United States Marine Corps Corporal Christopher Kelly Willis joined the Marines in 1999 and completed his boot camp training at Camp Pendleton, California in December of 1999. Christopher then completed his Combat training and Military Occupational Specialty Training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in April of 2000. Christopher graduated from USMC Engineering School with a 4.0 G.P.A. and ranked 2nd in a class of 40. He was also honored as Engineer Company’s Most Physically Fit Marine by the Commanding Officer of Courthouse Bay, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
After Lejeune, Christopher was attached to Bridge Company Alpha, 6th Engineer Support Company, 4th FSSG, Battle Creek, MI. In early 2003, Lance Corporal Christopher Kelly Willis was activated by the USMC and sent to Camp Pendleton, CA to prepare for Operation Iraqi Freedom I.
After deployment to Kuwait, and just prior to the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lance Corporal Willis was hand selected for the Marine Reconnaissance Team and was, therefore, on the front lines as his seven man team scouted the forward area for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. His Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal certificate reads as follows;
“PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES………..LANCE CORPORAL WILLIS WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMPANY’S RECONNAISSANCE TEAM, CLEARING OPEN DESERT ROADS, AND STAGING AREAS FOR BRIDGE COMPANY BRAVO, ENSURING ALL ENEMY THREATS WERE ELIMINATED AND THE AREAS WERE SECURE PRIOR TO COMPANY MOVEMENT. HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL ALLOWED THE COMPANY TO SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCT COMBAT BRIDGING OPERATIONS WHICH ENABLED THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION TO PROJECT COMBAT POWER INTO THE CITY OF BAGHDAD.”
Lance Corporal Willis came home a hero to Paw Paw Michigan, in June of 2003. Six weeks later on July 18, 2003, while still on active duty, Christopher, at the age of 24, died in a tragic automobile accident on I-94 near Battle Creek, Michigan.
After his death, Chris was promoted to the rank of Corporal, gaining the title of an Non-Commissioned Officer and gaining his NCO blood stripe. Corporal Willis was buried with full military honors in Fort Custer National Cemetery, Battle Creek, Michigan.