William Vaughn Willis

William Vaughn Willis. P
assed away peacefully on July 24, 2017 in Fair Oaks, California.  Will was born in Phoenix, Arizona on February 22, 1940.  He participated in rodeos in college and then went on to earn degrees in architecture and landscape architecture from Arizona State University.  Will then attended the Art Center in Pasadena, California where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.  After he graduated with honors, Will went on to become an award winning watercolor artist.  Will served in the navy reserves during the Vietnam conflict. While in Arizona, Will worked as an architect for a firm in Phoenix and then went on to establish his own architectural firm.  He then moved his family to California in 1985 and worked for the State of California’s State Fair Authority which included the horse race industry.  He traveled abroad and to Mexico but his favorite pastime was to travel to national parks around the southwest where he painted plein-air watercolors of the parks.  He taught many watercolor workshops at his studio and exhibited his artwork in many exhibits in Phoenix and Sacramento.  A ten foot painting of Camelback Mountain was purchased by an attorney’s firm in Phoenix.  Will also enjoyed watching his daughter, Laura, while she competed in speed skating meets.  Being a landscape architect, he also had a passion for gardening. Will is survived by his wife Jo Ann, daughters Laura and Carrie, and his son Richard.  Will was a gentle soul who was loved by everyone and he will be greatly missed.  The family requests that donations be made in memory of Will to the Alzheimer’s Association, Northern California and Northern Nevada, 2290 North First Street, Suite 101, San Jose, CA 95131, alz.org, 1-408-372-9900.