Palestine High School Alumni Association

Early in the morning on Thursday, July 5, 2007, Walter R. Willis, 70, of Hewitt, left us to be with the Lord after a bout with Mantel Cell Lymphoma, at a Waco hospital.

Visitation will be on Sunday, July 8, between 6 and 8 p.m. at the OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd., Waco. A memorial video honoring his life will be shown during the visitation times. Services will be held at 12 noon on Monday, July 9, in Waco at the Meadowbrook Baptist Church with Pastor Cary Killough presiding.

Later, on Monday, there will be a visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Herrington Funeral Home, 3434 S. Loop 256, in Palestine.

Services will be there on Tuesday, July 10, at 10 a.m. with Pastor Doug Howell officiating. Burial will follow in the Palestine City Cemetery.

Walter was born November 9, 1936 in Giddings, the son of Reverend and Mrs. Walter R. Willis Sr.

He graduated from El Paso High School in 1954 and attended Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at El Paso. He returned to school later in life and graduated from San Jacinto College in 1994. He was a long time resident of Deer Park, Texas, working for the Lubizol Corporation and later, the City of Deer Park. Following his retirement in 1997, he resided in Palestine.

On June 4, 2005, he was married to Catherine Sloan Rose and they resided in Hewitt for the past two years. Previously he had been married to Peggy McClendon, of Frankston.

A horticulturist, he was fond of the outdoors, gardening, playing with his grandchildren and Chihuahuas. He was a member of garden clubs in Palestine and Deer Park and the Elmwood Volunteer Fire Department. He was also a member of McLennan chapter number 639 of the Order of the Eastern Star and a 32nd degree Mason of the Sunland Masonic Lodge of El Paso.

In addition, he was a member of the Bosque River Sams RV chapter and the Adult I Co-ed Sunday School class of Meadowbrook Baptist Church.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Walter and Louise Willis; his sister, Melba Willis Gean; and his step-son, David Glen Rose.

He is survived by his wife, Cathy, of Hewitt; and his brother, Robert Edwin Willis, of Dallas and Palestine; daughter, Melinda Ann and her husband, Chris Orsak, of Palestine and his son, Walter R. Willis, III, of Kingwood; grandchildren, Elizabeth Alexandra Orsak and Austin James Orsak; step-daughter Becky and her husband, Gary Bradford; and step-grandchildren, Micelle Bradford Cooper, and Laura and Cara Bradford; step-daughter-in-law, Julie Rose Lynch and step grandchildren, Monica, Johnny and Henry Macias; brother-in-law, John Gean, of Palestine; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of Life, 5000 Lakewood, Waco, TX 76710 or to your favorite charity.

Source: Waco Tribune-Herald 07-06-2007