Bishop Funeral Home
Submitted by: Carol Spear Rice

Willis Vieux, 81, of McAlester, Oklahoma passed away peacefully on January 14th, 2025. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday January 25th, 2025, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in McAlester, Oklahoma. Willis will be laid to rest at Savanna Cemetery in Savanna, Oklahoma. Following the funeral and grave side services, a reception will be held in the dining room at Washington Court Apartments, 301 E. Washington Avenue. Willis was born on July 22, 1943, in McAlester, Oklahoma to Willis Vieux Jr., and Daphine Vieux (nee Helms). He was a 1962 graduate of Savanna High School and served honorably in the U.S. Navy from 1962-1982, retiring at the rank of Chief Petty Officer. Willis wed Reiko Yamamoto in 1965, and they traveled the world during his military career before settling down in Savanna. After Reiko's passing, Willis remarried Karen Nelson, and they lived in the McAlester area for many happy years. After his military retirement, he had extended careers with Oklahoma State Penitentiary, rising through the ranks to Chief of Security, and at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant serving as a supervisor for the carpentry trades. Willis is survived by his daughter, Machelle Vieux, grandson Chase Bourque, sister Lynn Byles, niece Vickie Ponce, and many other family members. He was preceded in death by his wife, Reiko, parents, and siblings, John Vieux, Barbara Smiddy, and Sue Woody. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to nurse Trish Jennings, and the staff at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for their compassion and care.