TARIFFVILLE, Conn. — Gilbert F. “Gil” Willis of Tariffville, Conn., entered into eternal life on Tuesday, March 29, at the age of 82.

Born on Dec. 12, 1928, in Wickford, R.I., Mr. Willis was the son of Francis Selem and Bertha E. (Gilbert) Willis. He graduated from LaSalle Academy, Providence, R.I., and served for three years in the U.S. Army, with 18 months occupation duty in Seoul, Korea at the end of World War II.

Upon discharge in 1949, he attended Providence College. Gil spent 20 years in Lisbon, Maine, working in the finance and insurance industry before returning to Hartford, Conn., in 1982.

During his years in Lisbon, he was active as a member of the Lisbon Planning Board for 11 years; the United Way of Lewiston-Auburn; and the Knights of Columbus Lisbon Falls, Council No. 2358, where he served as Grand Knight for a one-year term. He transferred from the Maine District Office of the Small Business Administration to the Hartford District Office of SBA as a supervisory loan officer in charge of loan servicing and liquidation. Since his retirement, he was active with the Simsbury Geritol Swingers at Simsbury Farms; served on the Tariffville Fire District Water Commission for 11 years; and was a member of the Knights of Columbus Bishop John J. Nilan Council No. 2758 in Simsbury, Conn.

Surviving him are his wife, Phyllis M. Willis, of Tariffville, Conn.; a stepson, H. Brough Bailey and his wife, Julia, of Georgetown, Texas; a stepdaughter, Susan Gilmore and her husband, Robert, and grandchildren, Ciaran and Brian, of Simsbury, Conn.; a brother, Richard Willis and his wife, Jeanne, of Fredericksburg, Va.; two sisters, Dorothy Dibble and her husband, Orville, of Oneida, N.Y., and Carol Barney and her husband, Leo, of Largo, Fla.; a sister-in-law, Evelyn Willis of Charleston, S.C.; and a large extended family of sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

Gil was predeceased by his first wife of 32 years, Joan A. McElroy Willis, in 1988; a brother, Clifford J. Willis; and a sister, Sara Kelly and her husband, James Kelly. Please visit Gil’s “Book of Memories” at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online condolences.