OK Obits

Submitted by: Dale Talkington

Thank You For Your Service!

Roy Lee Willis

July 1, 1935 ~ October 16, 2011

Memorial services for Roy Lee Willis, will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, October 22, 2011, at the Hennessey Public School Auditorium, officiated by Jimmy Berkenbile.

Cremation arrangements are by Cordry-Gritz Funeral Home.

Roy was born at Verden on July 1, 1935 to Jack and Edna Balch Willis and died Sunday October 16, 2011 at his home in Hennessey.

Roy graduated from Anadarko High School in 1953 and joined the U. S. Marines. He was honorably discharged in July 1957. Sgt. Willis earned the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the Rifle Sharpshooter's Badge.

He married Alice Rife in Anadarko on June 15, 1958.

Roy enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in January 1958. He went to OU for three semesters then transferred to Central State College where he earned a BA degree in education in May 1962.

He then earned his master's degree in education from Central State University in 1970 and his administrative certificate from Oklahoma State University in 1982.

He began his teaching career in Hennessey in August 1962 and served as an HHS history teacher, assistant coach, assistant high school principal, and principal at Binkley Middle School through 1987.

Roy served on the Hennessey Board of Education from 1988 to 1993 and owned Willis Tag Agency from 1993 to 2002. He was inducted into the HHS Hall of Fame in 2009.

He is survived by two daughters Lisa Blosser of Enid; Lori Morse and husband Chad of Auburn, Washington; one son John Willis of Hennessey; five grandchildren Marissa Babb, Thomas Morse, Hannah Morse, Grace Morse and Joseph Morse.

Roy was preceded in death by his wife Alice and one grandson Brian Caviness.

In lieu of flowers the family has suggested the U. S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots as a suitable memorial to Roy with the funeral home serving as custodian of the funds.

|OK Obits|  |Oklahoma Cemeteries Home|

This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma Cemeteries

The information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.