Richard Willis

Crossland

Richard Willis Crossland, 83, passed away on September 26, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of love, faith, family, hard work, and service to others.

Richard was born on December 28, 1942, to Aubrey Willis "Pete" Crossland and Francys Louyse Gillespie. He grew up surrounded by family and carried those connections with him throughout his life.

Richard married Debra on July 28, 1979. The two met while working at Darr Equipment in Irving, Texas, where Richard began his career in the heavy equipment industry. Together, they built a life centered around family, faith, and commitment to one another.

Richard worked for Darr Equipment before joining Red River Equipment Company in 2000, where he continued working with Caterpillar equipment until his retirement in 2023. He loved his work and took pride in helping his customers, using his knowledge of equipment and parts to find the right solutions. Many of his coworkers became lifelong friends, and the relationships he built through his work meant a great deal to him.

Richard proudly served for more than 25 years in the Army National Guard, eventually serving as a First Sergeant. His years in the Guard created lasting friendships and strong bonds with the men he served alongside. He remained connected to many of those friends throughout his life and treasured the relationships and memories they shared.

His faith was an important part of Richard's life. He attended Grace Temple Baptist Church in Henrietta, Texas, where he delivered the children's message and taught Royal Ambassadors (RAs). He especially enjoyed helping with the Royal Racers, the wooden car races associated with the Royal Ambassadors. He later served as a deacon and taught RAs at First Baptist Church of Dean in Dean, Texas. Richard loved his church family and found great joy in serving the Lord and helping children learn about their faith.

Richard was a lifelong car enthusiast. He especially enjoyed working with his son, Brett, to rebuild a 1969 Camaro. In his later years, he took great pride in his 1966 Dodge Charger and 1970 Mach 1 Mustang. He enjoyed attending car shows with friends, sharing his passion for classic cars and the friendships that came with it.

Family was at the center of Richard's life. He and Debra raised their children in Graham, Lake Arrowhead, and Henrietta, Texas. Richard was deeply proud of his children and grandchildren, including his beloved granddog, Lucy.

He will be remembered for his faith, generous heart, love of family, passion for cars, and willingness to help others. He was deeply loved and will be deeply missed.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Debra Crossland; his children, Brett Crossland and wife Ashley of Wichita Falls, Texas, Tobie Crossland of Fort Worth, Texas, Bree Hughes and partner Keith Wright of Wichita Falls, Texas, and Summer Crossland of Henrietta, Texas; and his grandchildren, Abigail and Benjamin Crossland, Will and Ellie Hughes, and Skye Wright.

He is also survived by his brother, Alan Crossland and wife Linda of Calmer, Iowa, and their daughter, Alysson Crossland; his sister, Vicki Berlier and husband Jim of Estancia, New Mexico, and their daughter, Jennifer Beavers and husband Brandon, and their children, Brandis and Baiden; and his sister, Shannon Crossland of Fritch, Texas.

Richard was preceded in death by his father, Aubrey Willis "Pete" Crossland; his mother, Francys Louyse Gillespie; his stepmother, Audra Lee Crossland; his stepfather, John Gillespie Jr.; his half-sister, Peggy Ruth Coffman; his nephew, John Berlier; his stepsisters, Alice Gillespie and Aileen Sailer; and several aunts and uncles.

Services

A local memorial service for family and friends will be held:

Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
First Baptist Church of Dean
Dean, Texas

A committal service will be held:

Monday, October 5, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery
2000 Mountain Creek Parkway
Dallas, TX 75211

National Cemetery Information

Please arrive early and follow the cemetery staff's directions. The family and procession will be directed to the designated committal shelter, where the brief service will take place.

Memorials

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Richard's memory to Hospice of Wichita Falls.