Tributes

After having a wonderful, happy life for 88 years, Gunner Willhelm passed on to a new one on Tuesday, 30 May 2017. He was the eldest of six children born to the late Edythe (Harbour) and Virgil Willhelm on 22 October 1928 in Galveston, Texas. After graduation from Ball High School in Galveston in June, 1945, he attended the University of Texas graduating with a B.B.A. degree in January 1948. After accepting a summer intern job with Humble Oil & Refining Co. (now known as Exxon Mobil) in Houston, TX, he was offered a permanent position. Two years later during the Korean War, he applied and was accepted for Officer Candidate School with the United States Air Force at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX. Upon graduation as a 2nd Lieutenant, he was specifically chosen to become an officer agent for the Office of Special Investigations. This included assignments in Japan and Okinawa. After leaving the USAF, he returned to work for Humble. In 1961, he was offered a position with the parent company, Standard Oil of New Jersey, headquartered at Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, New York. This led to overseas assignments to Europe and North Africa. After the revolution in Libya, he transferred to Exxon’s Western Division in Los Angeles in 1969. After retiring in 1982, he moved to his retirement home in Arroyo Grande, CA where he enjoyed the hard, but enjoyable, work of having a small Arabian horse farm. Later moves include Santa Fe, NM and winters in Tucson AZ, both favorites for a good life. During this time he traveled domestically and to 176 foreign destinations. Among these travels, he qualified for the 1986 World Championship Bridge tournament in Bal Harbour, FL. In 2000, he returned to Texas after a 40 year absence – choosing San Antonio. He is preceded in death by his incredible parents, his only sister - Margaret Feistel - and two younger brothers: Edgar Willhelm and Fred Willhelm. He is survived by two brothers, Joseph Willhelm (husband of Elizabeth Dayhoff) of League City and Sidney Willhelm of Kerrville, by Michelle Willhelm (wife of Edgar Willhelm), and by his nieces and nephews, cherished children of Joseph, Edgar, and Margaret. He was always most grateful and appreciative of the fine teachers and professors who taught subjects, but also building character, as did his parents. All contributed to his having a productive meaningful life full of joy and appreciation. He also acknowledges all the skilled medical personnel who kept his health status in order to the end. He left with many fond, fun memories with family members and wonderful friends he met along life’s way. He will be cremated and his ashes disposed in the Gulf of Mexico, which he very much loved when living on Galveston island. SERVICES A Service will take place at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 10, 2017, at the chapel of Blue Skies of Texas East, 4917 Ravenswood Drive, San Antonio, Texas. A Family Service will be held in Dickinson, Texas on Saturday, June 17, 2017. For updates on the Family Service in Dickinson and for personal acknowledgement, you may sign the online guestbook at www.missionparks.com in the Tributes section.

Tributes

Ernest Virgil "Gunner" Willhelm, Jr.

October 22, 1928 - May 30, 2017