Willis Kitrell Herndon, Jr.

Aiken, SC- Mr. Willis K. Herndon, 85, entered into rest on Sunday morning at his home, December 19, 2010. Funeral services for Mr. Herndon will be at 11AM on Wednesday, December 22, 2010, at Aiken First Baptist Church with the Reverend Dr. Fred Andrea, III officiating. Interment will be at Bethany Cemetery following the service with Military Honors. Visitation for Mr. Herndon will be at Shellhouse Funeral Home (Hayne Avenue) on Tuesday, December 21, 2010, from 5:00 to 7:00pm. Mr. Herndon was born on May 14, 1925 in Augusta, Georgia, and was the son of Willis K. Herndon, Sr. and Bessye Johnson Herndon. He was graduated from Richmond Academy in 1942. Subsequent to his high school graduation, Willis attended Augusta State University for one year before enlisting in the Air Force. He was stationed at Airbase Nottingham, England, and Roye, France during WWII. He returned to Augusta and enrolled in the University of Georgia and was graduated in 1949. He began working with his father running the family business, Herndon Furniture Company, in Langley. He took over the business and ran it successfully until he retired in 1992. Mr. Herndon participated in many business, civic, military, and church activities his entire life. He served as president of the Midland Valley Merchants Association in 1981 as well as its chairman of the board in 1982-1983. He was a member of the military group La Societe’ Des 40 Hommes and 8 Chevaux (better known as the 40 and 8) until illness prevented him from participating. He was awarded voyageur of the year award in 2004 – their lifetime of service award. Additionally, he was extremely committed to the American Legion Post 26 in Aiken for countless years, and held every office in the Legion from commander, to Chaplain to business manager for the American Legion baseball team. He also ran the Boys State program for the Legion for 20 years or more and delighted in choosing young men to participate in the Boys State process. Additionally, Willis served First Baptist Church as the Sunday School Secretary for over 30 years. Not only was Willis a participant, he was also a sports fan. Although he was a die-hard Georgia Bulldog football fan, his greatest spectator sport was watching his grandsons play baseball or whatever sport they had chosen to play. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and spent countless hours with friends and family either in the woods or on a pond relaxing or teaching others the tricks of the trade. He and his wife Mootzie (who pre-deceased him in 2007) enjoyed their yard. They meticulously groomed their grass, planted flowers and kept it in perfect order. It was truly a labor of love for each of them. He is survived by his daughter Lynn H. Sampson, son-in-law Pete Sampson, grandsons Scott Sampson and Alan Sampson, brother-in-law Emmett Wier, Richmond, VA and niece Bess Leigh Booze, Wilmington, DE. He was pre-deceased by his loving sister Betty Wier. Active pallbearers will be Aaron Hicks, Brad Hicks, Joey Hicks, Traye Jackson, Bobby Cook, and Bobby Knight. Honorary pallbearers will be members of American Legion Post 26. Memorials may be directed to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 3157 Aiken, SC 29802. SHELLHOUSE FUNERAL HOME, 924 HAYNE AVE., AIKEN, SC 29801 Please sign his online register at shellhousefuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Willis Kitrell Herndon, Jr., please visit our flower store.