Obituary of Willard Hohnstein

Willard Hohnstein, age 92, died on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, in Dallas, Texas. Graveside services to remember Willard's life will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, March 25, 2017, at Hillcrest Memorial Park, Ardmore, Okla. Services under the direction of Griffin~Hillcrest Funeral Home of Ardmore. Willard was born on January 12, 1924, in Giltner, Nebraska, to Peter and Alice (Pauley) Hohnstein. After graduating high school in Giltner, Willard earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nebraska and subsequently attended SMU in Dallas where he received a Master’s Degree in Economics. After working in journalism and sales for several years, with the support of his wife, Vivian, who worked at Tinker AF Base, Willard enrolled at the University of Oklahoma where he earned his PhD in Economics. His career as a professor began at East Texas State in Commerce, Texas, before moving to Lake Charles, Louisiana, in 1969 to teach at McNeese State University where he became head of the Economics Department before retiring in 1988. In 1989, Willard and Vivian returned to Vivian's hometown of Ardmore, which is also the place where they first met in 1956. In his retirement, Willard spent his time doing yard work, reading, and keeping up with current events. He also had an amazing knowledge of history and English grammar. He enjoyed tutoring for the Ardmore School District and helping his grandkids with school work. Willard was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ardmore, where he attended Sunday school and sang in the choir until the age of 90 when he moved to Dallas to be closer to his daughters. His daughters will be forever grateful to him and Vivian for raising them up in the Christian faith and thankful to the Lord for blessing them with wonderful parents. He is preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Vivian, and his brothers: Robert, Lester, and Barney. Willard is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Diane and Bill Hickle and Bea Ann and Tom Bridges, five grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.