* Willard ‘Joe’ Alcock; World War II Veteran

Willard “Joe” Alcock, a World War II veteran and 41-year Ventura County resident, died Thursday in a Santa Barbara hospital following a long illness. He was 79.

Alcock was born July 1, 1918, in Piru and was an industrial engineer for 33 years, including 22 at Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, a subsidiary of the former Rockwell International. He retired in 1979.

He was a bomber pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

“He was a very interesting man,” said Ray Valadez, Alcock’s son-in-law. “He was very wise in the ways of the world. He enjoyed the outdoors. He loved his family very much.”

Alcock rode broncos in the California circuit rodeo for several years before joining the war.

Alcock is survived by his wife, Joanne, daughters Mary Bell of the San Fernando Valley and Nancie Alcock of San Diego; sister Marjorie Raco of Fresno; stepson Steve Salisbury and his wife, Guillermina, of Los Angeles; stepdaughters Nanette Loggains and her husband, Jim, of Attleboro, Mass., and Kimberly Valadez and her husband, Ray, of Sacramento; and five grandchildren. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home in Ventura, which is handling the arrangements.

Rosary will be 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Ventura.

Entombment will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura.