Eva Jean Willis

Eva Jean Willis, 95 of Fort Smith, Arkansas passed away on January 22, 2023. Jean was born on November 27, 1927 to Harold and Anna (Whitsell) Englebright in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She worked as a telephone operator, volunteer nurse, homemaker and her true passion was art. She taught art at Robert’s Paints and Crafts for more than 25 years, opened her home for private lessons, volunteered her talents with Fort Smith Regional Art Museum and continued to teach at Butterfield Place for the last 12 years. She was a well-known establishment at Butterfield Place where she called bingo, was the undisputed champion of modified scooter racing and the resident dinner table police. Jean is survived by her son Michael Willis and wife Lori Hardin, daughter-in-law Linda Stone Willis, grandchildren Shane Willis and wife Melanie, Michael Hines and wife Sherry, Christopher Willis and wife Joanna, Ashley Ellis and husband Larry, Patrick Willis, and wife Jamie as well as her great-grandchildren Madison, Cole, Hayden, Logan Willis, Alice and Evelyn Hines, Micáeh Ruskin and Mckenzie Willis, Emma and Parker Ellis, Hannah and Sean Willis. She is preceded in death by her loving husband James “Dude” Willis, and son Charles “Chuck” Willis. Services for Jean are Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 11am at Evangel Temple Assembly of God with private family burial to follow at Fort Smith National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials to Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (1601 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith, AR 72901).