Willis Bryan Owings, 82, of Columbus, MS, passed away Saturday, December 19, 2015, at Vineyard Court Nursing Center in Columbus, MS.

Visitation will be Monday, December 21, 2015, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM at Woodland Baptist Church, Columbus, MS. A Memorial Service will follow at 2:30 PM at Woodland Baptist Church, Columbus, MS with Lowndes Funeral Home, Columbus, MS directing.

Mr. Owings was born May 21, 1933, in Monroe County, MS to the late Willis Millard and Elgenia Howell Owings. He married the former Joanne Kendall on April 6, 1954, in Amory, MS. Mr. Owings was a veteran of the United States Air Force having retired in 1980 as a Senior Master Sargent after 26 years of service. During his career in the Air Force, Mr. Owings received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Vietnam Service Medal, AF Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Medal, Vietnamese Campaign Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal. His duty assignments while in service included; Austin, Texas, Omaha, Nebraska, Las Vegas, Nevada, Greenville, MS, Thule, Greenland, Montgomery, Alabama, Ubon, Thailand, Pleiku, Vietnam, Washington D.C., Kadena, Okinawa and Columbus, MS. In December of 1979, Mr. Owings began his employment with WCBI in Columbus, MS and retired in 2004 after 24 years of service as the Meteorologist. He is a member of Woodland Baptist Church, Columbus, MS, where he served as deacon, Gideon, American Meteorological Society, and the National Weather Association.

Mr. Owings is survived by his wife of 61 years Joanne Kendall Owings of Columbus, MS; sons- Willis Bryan (Sylvia Giannitrapani) Owings, Jr. of Nashville, TN, Dan Bartley (Linda) Owings of Columbus, MS, Bruce Kendall Owings of Columbus, MS; grandchild- Emily Owings of Nashville, TN; sister- Charlotte Moore of Olive Branch, MS.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Woodland Baptist Church Men's Sunday School Class and the Gideons.

Memorials may be sent to Uncle Bunky's Children c/o Woodland Baptist Church, 3033 Ridge Road, Columbus, MS 39705.