Salem-Willard Dean Eggers passed away peacefully on May 4, 2010 in Salem at the age of 80. He was born on September 17, 1929 in Portland, Oregon to Theodore and Gertrude Eggers.

 

Willard, “Willy” to many of his friends, attended school in Portland and joined the National Guard after graduating from Benson High School in 1947. He had an intense interest in aircraft and owned a World War II PT-22 primary trainer in his youth. Willard worked as a Communication’s Technician for Pacific Northwest Bell and later AT&T, retiring in 1984. 

 

On July 9^th, 1950 he married Carole Rhoads. She passed away in 2004 after 54 years of marriage. In July of 2009 he married Marian Robison. They enjoyed traveling, dancing, the Salem Symphony, Willamette University Institute for Continued Learning and the Salem City Club.

 

Willard felt strongly about his duty to others and showed it by donating blood at the Red Cross on a regular basis. He donated an amazing 254 life-saving units of blood in his lifetime. He began donating in 1948 while in the National Guard before records were ever kept of donations. The Red Cross remembers Willard fondly as one of its “favorite heroes” achieving the milestone of donating more that 30 gallons of blood.

 

He volunteered for the Salem Public Library in 1996, spending over 3900 hours of his time repairing Talking Book Machines for the vision impaired.

 

In 1998, Willard began volunteering his services with the Howard Hughes Spruce Goose restoration crew at the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville. He accumulated over 2700 volunteer hours working on the Spruce Goose and later became a regular Sunday docent and tour guide at the Aviation Museum. His self-taught knowledge of the Spruce Goose construction was instrumental in its restoration.

 

Willard is survived by his loving wife, Marian, Salem, Oregon; his sister Marilyn Seay, Vista, California; his children, Tim Eggers, Chelan, Washington; Cindy Iavarone, San Rafael, California; his grandchildren, Jennifer Iavarone, Justin Iavarone, Robyn Eggers, Woodrow Eggers; his great grandchildren, Adi Day, Devin Day.

 

A celebration of Willard’s life will be held on Saturday, June 26, at Rudy’s Restaurant, 12:00PM, at the Salem Golf Club. Donations in Willard’s memory can be made to The Red Cross, Willamette Valley Hospice, the Salem Public Library, the Evergreen Aviation Museum, or Salem Symphony. Arrangements by Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.