Cory "Will" Steven Willits' Obituary
Cory “Will” Steven Willits, 42, of Fayetteville, AR, lived his life like
a legend—full throttle, no brakes, and always with a laugh that
could make weak men cry. He left this world on February 25,
2025, but not before making a friend of everyone lucky enough to
know him. Born on March 16, 1982, in Holton, Kansas, he was
the ultimate man’s man, never one to back down from an
adventure, a challenge, or a good time. His father, Mark Colman
Willits, surely greeted with a smile and handed him an axe to go
start chopping wood.
Left to carry on his legacy of laughter, adventure, and a little bit of
mischief are his wife, Deisy Funez Willits; his sons, Edin Funez
and Luis Funez; his mother, Gail Leona Gravatt Willits; his
brothers, Russell Willits, Jacob Willits, and Casey Willits; along
with a rowdy, loving crew of nieces, nephews, cousins, and an
army of friends who were more like family.
Cory wasn’t just the life of the party—he was the party. If you had
a crazy idea, he’d already done it twice and had the bumper
sticker to prove it. His energy was magnetic, pulling in friends like
moths to a flame. As an Eagle Scout, he never outgrew his love
for adventure—scouting wasn’t just a phase, it was a lifestyle.
Camp Orr was his second home during the summers of his youth,
a place where he honed his wild spirit, tested his limits, and
mastered the fine art of rock climbing. Whether he was scaling
The Tower, jumping off Castle Rock, or “Spitting Around the
World”, those summers shaped the fearless, fun-loving man he
became. He was an avid hunter. He could track a deer, wrestle a
hog, and still have time to crack open a cold one with his buddies.
Fishing with his wife, Deisy, wasn’t just a pastime; it was an
ongoing competition to see who could reel in the biggest catch
(and let’s be honest, he probably exaggerated every story). He
also was always hunting for that perfect diamond at Crater of
Diamonds State Park. In the last year, he became a pioneer and
log cabin builder, he determined the wild had not been tamed yet.
For 17 years, Cory served on active duty in the Air Force,
specializing in Air Transportation, and proving time and time again
that he was the kind of guy you wanted on your team. He didn’t
just meet expectations—he crushed them. He was promoted
ahead of schedule, earned top performance ratings, and collected
awards like souvenirs from his deployments, including the
Meritorious Unit Award, Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign Medals,
and multiple Air Force Commendation Medals.
Cory also had a special talent that set him apart—he was fluent in
what can only be described as redneck Spanish and redneck
German. Whether he was butchering a phrase with full confidence
or making up words that somehow still made sense, he could
communicate with just about anyone, anywhere. And if they didn’t
understand? Well, they’d still walk away laughing.
Cory lived big, loved hard, danced like a flamingo with no shame
and made sure that anyone who crossed his path had a story to
tell. He wasn’t just a friend—he was a Legend, and legends never
fade. POOOOOBAHHHHH!!
Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 7, at Nelson Berna
Funeral Home in Fayetteville. A funeral service will be held at
11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 8, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in
Fayetteville. Cremation will follow.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Project Healing Waters at
https://projecthealingwaters.org
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