Funeral service for H.B. &8220;Box&8221; Willingham, age 89, of Columbiana, was held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at Antioch Baptist Church.

Visitation was from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 23, at Bolton Letlow Funeral Home. Mr. Willingham, passed away on Monday, Jan. 22, at his home, was born on Feb.14, 1917 in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.

He was a graduate of Fairfield High School. He went to the University of Alabama on a football scholarship.

He began his military career with the Alabama National Guard in the Cotton States Calvary Unit.

He served during WWII as 1st Sergeant Battery, A 104th Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. He joined Birmingham Fire Department in 1945 and served at Station 1 and Station 20 for 35 years.

He was also a member of the Alabama Cattlemen Association. He is preceded in death by his wife, Mary Willingham; sisters, Ola Frances Willingham Bierley, Lois Willingham Graham; brother, William Clifford Willingham. He is survived by his sister, Agnes Willingham Vandegrift; beloved companion, Clara Garner Casewell; children, Marilyn Willingham (Jeff) Whitlock, David (Alexis Etress) Willingham, Lisa Willingham (Tommy) Davis; grandchildren, Allison Willingham(Tommy) Merrell, Mike (Carrie) Willingham, Carrie Davis Cosby, Cindy Davis Wiggins, Haley Whitlock (Chad) Handley, Mary Hollace Whitlock, Hunter Whitlock; great-grandchildren, Alex Merrell, Mary Elizabeth Merrell, Blake Wiggins; nieces and nephews, Martha Graham Wade, Billy Graham, Lois Ann Vandegrift Shi, Vann Vandegrift, Les Eugene Barnes, Leory Willingham and a host of other family and friends. Bolton-Letlow Funeral Home directed