Willis Merritt Zinn, 96, of Clyde died Sunday, February 11, 2018 in an Abilene hospital. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at the First United Methodist Church of Clyde with Rev. Monty Barnett and Kathi Edwards officiating. Services are under the direction of Bailey Howard Funeral Home of Clyde.

Willis was born December 12, 1921 in Elk City, Kansas to John Logan and Alva (Princeton) Zinn. He graduated from Elk City High School and Independence Jr. College with an Associate Degree. He later attended Jacques Tax School. He then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp in 1942. He served in the Pacific Theatre where he was wounded and awarded a Purple Heart. He married Opal Marie Hopkins in Wichita, Kansas on February 19, 1949. Opal preceded him in death in 1994. He was supervisor of the data records for Phillips Petroleum for 33 years. He later married Dorothy Fitch Patterson in Independence, Kansas on October 27, 1996. Shortly after they moved to Clyde. He had also previously lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, Kansas City, Missouri, Boston, Massachusetts, Kansas City, Kansas and Bartlettville, Oklahoma. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Clyde, the Men's Coffee Club and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans.

He is survived by his wife Dorothy (Fitch) Zinn of Clyde; son, Roger Willis Zinn and wife Jeanette of Mt. Vernon, Texas; daughter, Jane Whelpley and husband Bill of Bolivia, North Carolina; son, Jon Patterson and wife Gail of Newland, North Carolina; grandchildren, Robert Zinn, Michael Zinn, Chelsea Whelpley, Kyle Whelpley and Alex Patterson and wife Nicole; great grandchildren, Shelby, Katie and Jacob Zinn; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, including Gary Wilson, Alice Jean Satterfield and John Zinn.

Willis was preceded in death by his first wife, brothers, Clyde and Russell Zinn and sisters Agnes McKinze and Alma Wilson .