In Memoriam: Dr. Nathan D. Willis, 1961-2020
Dear Friends and Family,
At Alamont Dental, we are mourning the loss of Dr. Nathan Dale Willis, who worked tirelessly to provide the best care for every patient who sat in his chair and was committed to his profession and Christ Jesus, his Lord and Savior. A huge light will be missed in our practice and we know he would consider it a privilege that you entrusted your oral health to him.
When we went into Dr. Willis’ office the day after his death, we found his Bible and glasses on his desk open to this page of scripture.
Please know that Drs. Chris Shipley, Brandon Roller, Tyler Graul, Jason Pittman and Barry Hopper are here to carry on his legacy and treat his patients moving forward with the same compassion in care and professionalism as Dr. Willis.
If you have any questions about an upcoming appointment or your records, please contact us at (423) 968-4422.
Thank you for supporting Alamont Dental through this transitional period. From all of us at Alamont Dental, please accept our sincerest gratitude for trusting us with your past and future dental care.
With deepest sympathies and regards,
The Doctors & Staff at Alamont Dental Associates
“A Mentor and a Faithful Friend”
Dale Willis and I were blood, cousins in fact, but I always thought of him as my older brother. He was also a mentor and a faithful friend. I still remember first coming to Alamont thirty years ago to learn about dentistry. When I decided to go to dental school he gave me advice and support. When I needed a job he strongly encouraged me to serve in the military as he did. He even wrote a letter of recommendation. When I looked for a practice to join after my service, he served as intermediary to help me join Alamont. When I was lonely he introduced me to my soul mate. When I married her he served as Best Man. He always gave me love, support, and guidance. He taught me a lot about dentistry and a lot about being a man.
He lived every day for Christ. His office was a shrine to his love for his wife, his children, and his God. I was always overawed with his knowledge both of dentistry and Scripture. His shelves were full of books about the latest dental techniques, side by side with books written by the sharpest minds of Christian theology. He sought self-improvement every day. His thirst for the word of God was unquenchable.
Words cannot describe my love for this man or pain I feel at his passing. But he would be the first to tell me not to grieve but rejoice, for surely he is with his Savior.
Dr. Chris Shipley
“We Have Hope”
When Dr. Willis walked out of the Alamont doors for the last time he left us with words. Words to live by. Words of the Lord.
His Alamont family returned to work the Monday after his passing to find his Bible left on his desk with his glasses so perfectly placed on top.
The book was open to I Corinthians 11. Our sweet Gaye walked over and read the words laid out before us. Those words were indeed meant for us here at Alamont. He didn’t know he wasn’t going to return on Monday morning. But God knew. God knew we still needed Dr. Willis. He knew we needed one more word. One more guidance. One more direction. So he gave it to us. He gave us the Peace we needed to continue touching and changing lives just as Dr. Willis would have it. I’m so thankful for Dr. Willis’ impact on my life and the lives of many. I’m thankful he left us with something to cling to.
When you visit Alamont you will see this picture on our wall. A legacy left behind for each of us to carry on. He’s in a perfect place. A place we can all cling to. Heaven is sweeter with him there. Our hearts are still grieving in these tough moments of moving on without him. But We have Hope.
Tabitha Hughes
“Ready to Listen and Give Support”
At Alamont Dental Associates we are treated as family. The leader of our family has been Dr. Dale Willis, and we have been so blessed to have such a godly Christian man as our leader. When we met him in the past as a group you could always count on him opening in prayer. I believe this is why we have been blessed for so many years. If an employee had a personal or family problem Dr. Willis was ready to listen and give support. We rarely saw him without a big smile on his face and many times during the day we would hear loud laughter that could only come from him.
I will certainly miss the times he would walk into Dr. Shipley’s and my office to share about the Bible and our Savior. That I will miss most. True to his faith, when we arrived at work the first day back after his passing I went into his office and laying right in the center of his desk was his open Bible and his reading glasses on top, just as he left them the last day he worked.
I miss him so much but without a doubt will see him again.
Gaye McLain