Willis A. Holland Jr.

Willis was born to Julia and Willis Holland, Sr. in Decatur, Georgia. As a boy, when he was not in school, he might be found visiting his beloved Grandparents, “Mama and Fava”, riding the street trolley, exploring the Atlanta underground before it was a “thing”, watching all of the Saturday picture shows, and tormenting his little sister, Helen Jo.

Willis was at home in the mountains and countryside of North Georgia, where he camped, canoed, spelunked and hiked Stone Mountain. These experiences sparked his lifelong passion for and curiosity about the natural world and the God who created it. He shared his love of nature with his own family on camping trips in a VW bus and later on summer adventures with “his girls” in a Chevy station wagon with questionable A/C. He maintained his faith in God throughout his life, showing kindness and respect to everyone he met.

His father’s deployment to the South Pacific during World War II was a turning point that inspired a life of service. Willis attended North Georgia College as a member of the Army Corps of Cadets. He then attended Emory University, briefly joined the Navy Reserve, and then enrolled in Air Force ROTC. After graduating, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.

Willis continued his life of service as a science teacher and then as a professor at Miami-Dade Community College for more than 30 years. He earned a PhD in geology from Florida State University and joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve. During this time, he also served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at his church in Hollywood, Florida. He retired with his wife, Esther, to Tallahassee and remained active at their new church, Thomasville Road Baptist Church. His wife and daughters will cherish his lifelong love, dedication, and support. He was always present and provided for them; he entertained and inspired them and created a home rooted in love.

Willis was a patient listener and keen observer of his surroundings, and he could spot the fossil, garnet, or gator that others walked right by. He was also an amateur historian whose favorite reading spot was in the middle of the hubbub of the house. He could pause a noisy conversation by adding a bit of relevant trivia, sharing a random fact or literary quote, or letting out a loud snore—a tactic he used strategically in a house of females. Friends and family knew Willis as a joker with a telltale poker face, but those who valued and trusted his wisdom often sought his counsel. Everyone who met him recognized him as a true Southern gentleman.

Willis is survived by his wife of 65 years, Esther Walden Holland; his three daughters, Diana Maa and her husband, David, Kathryn Fain and her husband, John, and Amanda O’Hora and her husband, Davin; his granddaughter, Savannah Maa; his sister, Jo Holland Hardwick; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Services will be held at Thomasville Road Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, on October 22, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Willis will be interred at Tallahassee National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lottie Moon Mission Offering or Big Bend Hospice in his memory.