Willard Merle Lunsford, 79, of Silsbee, died Monday, December 28, 2015. He was born on December 9, 1936, in Rusk, to Bertie Ramey Lunsford and Herbert Lunsford. Willard served his country during the Berlin Crisis in the United States Army and later became a heavy equipment operator.

Survivors include his children, Willard Lunsford, Jr. and his wife, Cindy, of Buna; Arthur Irvin Lunsford and his wife, Cristie, of Evadale; and Kimberly Miller and her husband, Thomas, of Silsbee; grandchildren, Brandon Lunsford, Matthew Lunsford and his wife, Desiree, Samatha Lunsford, Keith Lunsford, Cheyenne Lunsford, Kiefer Miller, and Sabrina Miller; great-grandchild, Daelynn Lunsford; and sister, Phyllis Hendrix. He is preceded in death by his parents; and wife, Patricia Lunsford.

A gathering of Mr. Lunsford’s family and friends will begin at 12:00 p.m., with his funeral service at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 30, 2015, at Broussard’s, 490 Cemetery Road, Silsbee, with his interment to follow at Morse Cemetery, Buna.