Steven James Willis

Steven James Willis 52 of Richardson, Texas passed away January 18, 2012. Steve was born November 7, 1959 in Greenville, Mississippi to Ray Thomas Willis and Mary June (Baldwin) Willis. Steve spent his childhood in Arizona and New Mexico. He liked exploring in the desert, swimming, building and shooting off small rockets.

At age 13, the family moved to Midwest City, Oklahoma. He worked at the local bowling alley, spent time souping up his car and running around with his friends. The thing he liked to do the most was figure and speed skating. Steve, Sheri and others from the Midwest City area traveled daily to Norman to skate for Norman's skate club. Steve was so good at speed skating that he won the Central Regional Championships at 14. He continued competitive skating for the the Midwest City skate club until graduation from Midwest City High School in 1976.

Steve attended electronics school for two years, then moved to Dallas to work for Texas Instruments, E-Systems and then Raytheon. After six years he moved to Alice Springs, Australia. He lived there from 1984 - 1994. While in Australia he attended and participated in many Australian sports, such as rugby, Aussie rules football and cricket. He also took advantage of the opportunity to scuba dive and photograph the Great Barrier Reef, Borneo, and Truck Island. He spent time touring New Zealand, New Guinea and all over Australia. He frequently explored the outback in his Land Rover or on his dirt bike.

In 1994 he moved to Washington DC. He attended Strayer University, graduating in 1998 with a Bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems. Living in DC gave him opportunities to visit all the historical sites, museums and monuments. He continued to skate, bike and attend many sporting events and concerts. In February of 2003, Steve had a near fatal rupture of his aorta which stopped his scuba diving and limited his other athletic activities.

In 2004 Steve returned to the Dallas area, continuing to inline skate and attend Dallas Cowboy games, Stars, Mavericks and Rangers games. He enjoyed going to concerts, and playing his guitar with a band.

Steve leaves behind his family: Father - Ray; Mother - June; Sister - Sheri; Brother-in-law - Jerry; and his two nephews Cody and Cade, his many friends and his favorite buddy - Cowboy, the cat.

Services will be 1:00 PM Saturday, January 28, 2012 at the Bill Eisenhour Southeast Chapel. Arrangements under the direction of Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home, Del City, Oklahoma.