1962 The Roar Carrollton High School Carrollton, Dallas Co., Texas Senior Class
	1961 The Roar Carrollton High School Carrollton, Dallas Co., Texas Junior Class

 

ARTICLE Man Dies in Plane Crash A 22-year-old former Farmers Branch fireman crashed to his death in a small rented airplane Wednesday afternoon on the 600 acre Samuell East Park north of Mesquite. Witnesses said the Cessna 150 nosedived into a clearing on the north side of the Dallas-owned park of U.S. 80 at Belt Line Road. Park police identified the dead pilot as Richard A. Willits of 1505 Ross in Carrollton. The plane had been in the air for about 25 minutes when it crashed at 2:30 p.m., Park Patrolman Ernest Cabaniss said. The plane owned by the Dallas Aeronautics Center at Addison Airport, north of Dallas. Cabaniss said a witness watching from the highway some 300 yards away told of seeing the plane suddenly dive to the ground "throttle open." "The witness said there was no apparent engine trouble," Cabaniss said. The plane, according to the witness, was flying on a west-to-east course at an altitude of some 1,500 feet. Justice of the Peace Theran Ward, who inspected the crash site, said both wings and the tricycle landing gear struck the ground "about the same time, which indicated a straight into-the-ground crash." Judge Ward said it would be up to federal aviation investigators to determine what caused the  crash. He said he had requested the county medical examiner to perform an autopsy on Willits' body for possible  medical causes of the accident. Park police were told that the plane was practically new with slightly more then 150 hours logged airtime. Charles Axton, caretaker of the park which lies outside Dallas' city limits, said the plane struck close to a 300-foot circle used by model airplane enthusiasts. Axton said the plane disintegrated on impact, scattering wreckage over a wide area. Axton, among the first to reach the wreckage, said Willits' body lay a short distance from the main portion of the plane. Willits had logged about 100 hours in the air, park police were told. A Farmers Branch fire department official said Willits quit the department about six months ago. The Dallas Morning News - April 20, 1987 Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams

OBITUARY WILLITS Richard, 14209 Heritage. Survived by wife, Mrs. Caroline Willits; son, Robert Allen Willits; daughter, Dee Ann, all of Farmers Branch; parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Willits, Carrollton; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Tessier, San Carols, Calif.; sisters, Sheryl Ann Willits, Miss Debra Ann Willits, both of Carrollton. Services 10 a.m. Saturday. Rhoton-Weiland-Merritt Chepael, Father Robert Vretecu officiating. Interment Calvary Hill. Pallbearers: Tom Miller, James King, John Atkinson, Eddie Montgomery, Pat Yarbrough, Jimmy Daniels. RHTOTON-WEILAND-MERRITT Carrollton CH2-5201 The Dallas Morning News - April 22, 1967 Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams

OBITUARY Services Held for Plane Victim A 22-year-old former Farmers Branch fireman crashed to his death in a small rented airplane Wednesday afternoon on the 600 acre Samuell East Park north of Mesquite. Witnesses said the Cessna 150 nosedived into a clearing on the north side of the Dallas-Owned park of U.S. 80 at Belt Line Road. Park police identified the dead pilot as Richard A. Willits, 14209 Heritage, Farmers Branch. The plane had been in the air for about 25 minutes when it crashed at 2:35 p.m., Park Patrolman Ernest Cabaniss said. The plane was owned by the Dallas Aeronautics Center at Addison Airport. Cabaniss said a witness watching from the highway some 300 yards away told of seeing the plane suddenly dive to the ground "throttle open". "The witness said there was no apparent engine trouble," Cabaniss said. The plane, according to the witness was flying on a west-to-east course at an altitude of some 1,500 feet. Willits had logged about 100 hours in the air, police were told. A Farmers Branch fire department official said Willits quit the department about six months ago. He is survived by wife, Mrs. Caroline Willits; son Robert Allen Willits; daughter, Dee Ann, all of Farmers Branch; parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Willits, Carrollton; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Tessier, San Carlos, Calif.; sisters, Sheryl Ann Willits, Miss Debra Ann Willits, both of Carrollton. Funeral services were held Saturday in Rhoton, Weiland-Merritt Chapel with Father Robert Vreteau officiating. Interment was in Calvary Hill. The Carrollton Chronicle - Thursday, April 27, 1967 Submitted by Edward Lynn Williams

 

RICHARD A. WILLITS JUN 9, 1944 - APR 19, 1967 Calvary Hill Cemetery, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas

Notes:

• In Memoriam - Carrollton High School - Class of 1962
• Death Certificate
• Find A Grave Memorial# 31425295