Thomas Henry "Radar" Wills

Radar entered this world on September 28, 1960, and departed May 28, 2023. In between those two events he lived an incredible life, traveling around the country and then the world before marrying the love of his life and fathering four children that he loved very much.

The first-born child of Howard and Betty (Elizabeth Morris) Wills, he was known simply as Tom during his childhood. Growing up in Chester, Pa, he was witness to the race riot at Chester High before moving to live with his grandparents in Cheney, Pa for his safety. After attending East High School in West Chester, Tom enlisted in the Navy, and due to his looks and personality bearing an uncanny resemblance to Radar from M*A*S*H, picked up the nickname that would stick with him for the rest of his life.

The naval carrier, however, did not stick, as Radar had a long history of sleepwalking and walked off of the signal tower of his destroyer in the middle of the night. Thank God, someone saw him and threw a signal buoy overboard or he would have been a goner! The naval doctors in Hawaii were amazed at just how active his subconscious could be and he was honorably discharged after only 15 months of service.

Then, after following the Grateful Dead around the country for a few years, working various jobs and almost dying multiple times, something drew Radar back to West Chester. It was there that he met and married Bonnie Marcone. If you were to ask Radar, he would tell you that he fell in love with Bonnie from the moment he laid eyes on her and how he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with her, which is exactly what he did.

Radar and Bonnie continued traveling, living in California and Oregon before finally settling in Oklahoma. However, all four of their children were born in Pennsylvania as there were numerous trips back home. Melanie and Tegan were born in West Chester and Stephen and Abigail were delivered in Ephrata.

“Jack of all trades and master of none,” is how Radar would describe himself. He was a carpenter, mechanic, heavy equipment operator, truck driver, welder/fabricator and even managed a cookie store in Oklahoma City. His children would tell you, “If dad can't fix it, it ain't broke.” He made his family laugh until the very end and that's what Bonnie would tell you that she misses the most, his humor.

Two days after Radar's 60^th birthday he had a stroke and that's when it was revealed just how sick he was. He was diagnosed with COPD, congestive heart failure and renal failure. Prayer bought us another two and a half years, but his body had been through too much over the years and was taken into his Savior's arms with Bonnie by his side.

Radar was preceded in death by his parents Howard and Betty. He is survived by his sister, Beth Standen (Vincent Price) of Saucier, MS, wife Bonnie, daughter Melanie Interdonato, grandson Oliver Interdonato, daughter Tegan Newlin, (Shawnee, OK) son Stephen and daughter Abigail of the home.

The memorial service is Saturday June 10 at 2:00 p.m. at The First Christian Church, 123 W Pawnee, Medford, OK 73759. Funeral services provided by Wilson Funeral Home, Pond Creek, OK.