Willis, Wallace

1918 - Dec 16, 2015

    Wallace “Wally" Willis, who covered the early days of the San Francisco 49ers and later became the Tribune's financial editor, died Dec. 16, 2015 in Hughson, CA. He was 98.

     A native of Wichita, KS, Willis and his family moved to California in 1929 and settled in Richmond. He graduated from Richmond High and started his newspaper career there as a stringer for the Richmond Independent. He went on to work full-time at the Independent before moving to the news staff of the Tribune in 1941.

     After service in the Navy in World War II, Willis returned to the Tribune and joined the sports department in 1948.

Although the 49ers were formed in 1946 as part of the All-America Football Conference, the Tribune didn't cover them on a regular basis until 1948, and Willis was given that assignment -- a beat he had through 1960. During his time in sports, Willis also worked games of the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League and later the San Francisco Giants. He also covered many sports at UC Berkeley, including the 1959 NCAA basketball championship; sports at Stanford, St. Mary’s, USF and San Jose State; and many amateur events, including national and international track and swimming meets.

       In 1962, Willis moved out of the sports department to become the Tribune's financial editor. He remained in that position until 1967 when he moved to  Hawaii to become financial editor of the Honolulu Advertiser. Willis went from there to Amfac, Inc., in 1968. At the time, Amfac, a land developer, was Hawaii's largest company, and Willis was named its public relations director. He later became senior vice president and administrative assistant to the chairman and CEO.

      Willis retired in 1979 and moved to Santa Rosa, CA. He later resided in Modesto.

     During his tenure at the Tribune, Willis won industry awards for his 49ers coverage and also for the development of the paper's financial coverage.

      In his later years, he maintained a keen mind and never forgot his friends and former colleagues.

     "He kept in touch right up to the end," said former Tribune political editor Gayle Montgomery. " Just a couple of weeks ago, I received an envelope from him filled with clippings from the Modesto Bee telling about a tornado that hit my little home town of Denair in Stanislaus County. He never forgot anything, I guess."

       Willis and his wife, Peg, were married almost 65 years. She died in 2006. He is survived by son Gregory of Pinole, CA; four granddaughters, and four great-granddaughters. He is the son of the late Samuel G. and Clara E. (Peden) Willis and father of the late David Willis of Modesto.

        At his request there will be no services. Interment will be at Santa Rosa Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 2425 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95817 or a favorite charity.