RANDOLPH, N.Y. - Willis N. Archer, 82, of Archer Hill Road, Ran-dolph and of Ocala, Fla., passed away Wednesday (June 27, 2012), at home, on the family dairy farm in Randolph, following a brief illness, with his family by his side.
He was born Jan. 22, 1930, in Randolph, the son of the late Lawrence John and Helen Covert Archer.
He was a 1948 graduate of Randolph Central School, where he was the president of the Future Farmers of America as a senior. A lifelong dairy farmer, Willis owned and operated his family's fourth- generation dairy farm from 1952 until his re-tirement in 1993.
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Mr. Archer was a member of the Cattaraugus County Farm Bureau, where he served as president from 1992 to 1994, vice president from 1994 to 1995 and director for many years, Steamburg Milk Cooperative and was a three-term director and past president of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association of New York State.
Other memberships in-cluded East Randolph Un-ited Methodist Church, as-sociate member of the Oca-la West United Methodist Church, Sons of the Ameri-can Revolution, Ocala West Men's Club, Ran-dolph Lions Club and the Randolph Historical So-ciety.
He had served as supervi-sor for the town of Ran-dolph from 1988 to 1992, town grievance board and served as a Randolph com-mitteeman for the Cat-taraugus County Republi-can Committee.
Willis was very proud of agriculture and of his fami-ly genealogy dating back to 1630 in England. He lived by the thought, "Everyone needs to give back to the community in which they live."
He is survived by his wife of 32 years; Gretta Beck Archer, whom he mar-ried on Nov. 23, 1980; two daughters: Dr. Kimberley (Dr. Timothy) Blake of Ver-mont, and Dawn (Mike) Durow of Randolph; four sons: Allen (Melissa) Arch-er of Virginia, Paul (Cyn-thia) Archer of Ohio, Charles (Barb) Archer of Ohio and Bill (Becky) Grossman of Florida; 14 grandchildren; Michael Archer, Timothy Archer, Nathan Archer, Daniel Archer, Curtiss Archer, Katherine Wojtowicz, Sean Blake, Ned Blake, Andy Durow, Jeff Durow, Kristen Durow, Billy Grossman, Maggie Grossman and David Grossman; eight great-grandchildren; two brothers: identical twin- Vern (Helen) Archer of Ten-nesse and Ronald Archer of Florida; a sister-in-law, Mu-riel Archer of New York; and several nieces and nephews and several great- nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, David Arch-er; and brother, Leroy Arch-er.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday (July 12, 2012), in the VanRensselaer & Son Funeral Home, 14 Church St., Randolph.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the East Randolph United Methodist Church. Pastor Rodney Mileham will offi-ciate. Inurnment will follow in the Randolph Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Willis Arch-er Agricultural Scholarship for Randolph Central School, c/o Cheryl Zol-linger, Cattaraugus County Bank, 42 Man St., Ran-dolph, NY 14772 or to the Randolph Rescue Squad or East Randolph United Methodist Church or Ocala West United Methodist Church.
To leave a condolence, log onto www.van-rensselaerandsonfuneral home. com.
