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Obit for Jerome
© Durant Daily Democrat (OK)
December 8, 2011
Reprinted with permission
Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
J. Hunt Willis was born on June 17, 1942, at Hobart, Oklahoma to Julian Hunt and Allamae (Walker) Willis of Mt. Park, Oklahoma and passed from this life on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, in Durant, Oklahoma.
Mr. Willis graduated from Mt. Park High School in 1960. He attended Cameron Junior College, Lawton, Oklahoma and graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, Oklahoma with a BS in Education in 1966 and a Masters Degree in Education and Guidance and Counseling in 1967.
On December 16, 1966, he married his hometown sweetheart, Nancy Lea Hoover, at the Methodist Church in Mt. Park, Oklahoma. Their first home was in Roosevelt , Oklahoma where he was employed as a high school teacher and coach for five years. In 1970, he was named the Kiowa County Teacher of the Year. In June 1971, he was employed as vocational rehabilitation counselor in Lawton, Oklahoma. In 1976, he and his family moved to Durant, Oklahoma.
He was employed as an assistant district supervisor for Court Related and Community Services, Juvenile Probation and Parole. After thirty years, he retired and opened Relics Unlimited on Durant's Main Street - an antique store specializing in Western relics, sports memorabilia, etc. until 2005. He retired with 26 years of service from the Oklahoma National Guard serving units in Hobart, Atoka, and Durant, Oklahoma. He was in the Durant Lions Club for many years and served on the board of the Three Valley Museum. He was a member of the Northwest Church of Christ, Durant, and had served for many years as a deacon and Bible teacher until his health failed. He enjoyed collecting antiques, genealogy, and watching his cattle. He took his family on vacations every year and especially enjoyed going to museums and zoos. Most of all, he loved being with his church family and his family.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Julian Hunt and Allamae (Walker) Willis; baby brother; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Hugh and Mahala Hoover. He is survived by wife, Nancy, of the home; son and daughter-in-law, Justin Hunt Willis and wife, Larra, Yukon, Oklahoma; granddaughter, Avery Ann Willis, Yukon, Oklahoma; brothers, Wilson Willis and wife, Rikki, Snyder, Oklahoma, Randy Willis and wife, Susan, Hoisington, Kansas; sister, Shelia Sampson and husband, Kent, Stillwater, Oklahoma. Special Cousin loved like a brother, Garry Walker and Glenda, Ft. Worth, Texas, Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law Carl and Mary Garrison, Lake Kiowa, Texas and John and Arleta Cahill, Independence, Missouri, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins of the Walker and Willis families. Special thanks to May's Hospice and caregiver Loretta Whalin.
Family hour will be Thursday, December 8, 2011, 6-7 P.M. at the Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home. Funeral service will be 10:00 A.M. Friday, December 9, 2011 at the Northwest Church of Christ, 1421 Chuckwa Street, Durant, Oklahoma. Bro. Andy Burns will officiate the service.
Graveside services will be Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. at the Mountain Park Cemetery Mountain Park, Oklahoma. Pallbearers are Michael Garrison, Mark Garrison, Jason Lanig, Chance Willis, Rick Thorn, Jamey Roy, Tyrone Lewis and Eric Rowland.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Bill Beames, Charlie Davis, Calvin Gordon, Herb Manning, Joe Maxson, Keith McKibbin, James Shields and Neal Taylor.
Family suggest Memorials be made to Parkinson Foundation of Oklahoma, 720 W. Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 101 C, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 73116 or Mt.
Park Cemetery Association, c/ o Ann Killian, 1201 Hwy 183 North, Mt. Park, Oklahoma, 73559.
Family and Friends may send online condolences and view tributes at www.coffeymurray.com.
Services under the directions of Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home, Durant, Oklahoma.
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