Eddie Willis Jr.

It has been said that “all the world’s a stage.” This particularly held true for Eddie Willis Jr. Indeed, he was one of the players. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a perpetual performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and was always willing to share that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Eddie, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark, or the twinkle of an eye. Eddie truly mastered the art of living and had great fun throughout his journey.

Eddie was born on December 13th, 1923. He was the son of Eddie and Lula. He grew up in Cleveland, Mississippi. Even as a child, it seemed as though he had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring, and friendly man.

Always a good playmate, Eddie was easy going and fun-loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even in the middle of family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, he managed to find satisfying solutions to basic problems. He could see all sides of a dispute and managed to bring in his sense of humor whenever it was needed. His Uncle McKinley was very special to him. He purchased Eddie's first suit for church.

Eddie grew up in a house in the country. All of Buddy's playful good nature carried over into his childhood. He had an outgoing personality, a lively imagination, and a rather laid back, go-with-the-flow approach to life. He was constantly on the go. As a result of this, he experienced a rather active childhood and this suited him very well. He enjoyed sports as a child, especially marbles. He also had a number of favorite pastimes as a child, including riding bicycles. He enjoyed reading, especially The Bible. He went to Newton Elementary.

Eddie was drawn to both individuals and crowds. He frequently used his gregarious and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. He developed a love for animals and pets at an early age and this was evident in his relationship with Eddie always enjoyed sleeping with his cat. Eddie also went on a few trips when he was growing up.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Eddie was a “cut-up” and had a tendency to be the class clown. With the knack for being able to find a joke in just about any situation, whether in class or not, he was always ready with a laugh. He wasn’t the type of person who would say or do things to be unkind or garner all the attention. Rather, Eddie simply enjoyed seeing others have a good time and to hear their laughter. As for grades, it could be said that they may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience, even if he wasn't one to get caught up in the academics. For Eddie, experience was the best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying a practical approach to knowledge. He graduated from Tensas Parish High School. For Eddie, a class or a teacher had to be fun to really capture his attention. Because of war times, he graduated and enlisted into the United States Army.

The high school years were not just about the classroom for Eddie. There were a lot of other exciting and interesting things to do and see. He found it easy to become a part of a lot of different groups and activities. This quality allowed him to continually develop new relationships and continually widen his circle of friends. For Eddie, they were all potential spectators for his seemingly non-stop performances. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song, or just plain fooling around, he was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. He utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Just about anyone who knew Eddie back then would probably be able to tell a story in which he played the starring role.

Eddie understood responsibility and took it seriously, despite the fact that he seemed carefree on the surface. This was obvious in a number of different ways. After school, Eddie worked at The Mill. Eddie was also involved in the community during his high school years.

Eddie was a very easy person to approach, simply by being so emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate. Annie Bell Lewis learned this firsthand. Eddie met Annie on the way walking to the store. Eddie knew right away that he wanted to marry Annie. Eddie and Annie's first date was going out to eat at the only restaurant in town.

Eddie proposed to Annie in Annie's parents home and simultaneously asked Annie's parent for her hand in marriage.

Eddie exchanged wedding vows with Annie on December 12, 1948. The bridesmaids was Nancy Horne she was the Maid of Honor. The groomsman was Wilbert Thomas. Eddie and Annie were married in Annie's parents home. The service was officiated by Reverend Duvall. The wedding reception was at Annie's parents home in the front yard. The photographer and original Best Man, did not show up. There were not any photographs take of the wedding.

Following the ceremony,Eddie and Annie were able to get away for a while on their honeymoon.

He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings and that was especially true in marriage. In that way, he tried to bring joy and harmony to the household. Like most young couples, they lived rather modestly. Their first residence was in a three bedroom home in Compton, California.

For Eddie and Annie, their marriage included sharing old friends and meeting some new ones. Some of the couple’s friends during this time included Jr. and Christine and Art and Dena.

Eddie seemed to have an endless appetite for new activities. A generous person who often wore his heart on his sleeve, he often found himself involved in activities that he felt were important. He was charitable, kind, and giving, qualities that made him a natural volunteer. Outspoken in his beliefs, yet tactful in his dealings with others, he was a member of several community groups. Eddie had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Eddie service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged, The American Legion.

Perhaps the reason Eddie related so well to youngsters was the fact that he was always a kid at heart himself. This quality helped him in raising his own family. It was as if he remembered the way it felt to play and have fun as a child and so he tried to keep that feeling alive in his own family. He had four children, Jennell, Deborah, Edward and deceased daughter, Regina. As children, they enjoyed playing ping pong. The children would often fill him with pride. He also tried to raise the children in a safe and nurturing environment, filled with fun and wonder. Their house was large and their home was always the house where birthday parties and many happy times of celebration were held at. Eddie had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with his children, that is where all of his attention was directed. He could spend hours engaging them with fun and creative play. In fact, Eddie had a knack for turning some of those nasty old household chores into fun and playful games.

He tried his best to be a good parent. Part of that was sharing his love of animals, and that showed with Cubby, Eddie's dog. Buddy also carried over the fun into family trips and vacations. Eddie like to travel.Some favorite summer trips were going to Virginia City, Tahoe, San Diego ,Las Vegas and Yosemite.

Later on, he was also blessed with nine grandchildren, Andre, Noell, Donnell, Duane, Chaunte, Amy, Ashly, Edward and Anthony.

At work, as in life, Eddie was a real "people person." He had a very successful way of working effectively with others and his enthusiasm and energy were often contagious. When dealing with various projects and problems, Buddy was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the best option. Being a down-to-earth thinker allowed many to see him as an excellent problem-solver. Years ago, Eddie worked in Long Beach, California at a ship yard. Probably the most unique or interesting job Eddie ever held was with a group called Seniors Helping Seniors. His primary occupation was working as a Die Caster. Eddie was a Senior Die Caster for Robert Shaw.

Buddy made a number of new friends in the workplace, due to his outgoing personality. Some of them included Jimmy Berrie.

Buddy managed to wrap himself up in all sorts of activities during his career.

Eddie enlisted in the U.S. Army in February of 1943. Eddie's basic training was in New Jersey. Buddy achieved the final rank of PFC. Eddie served in Normandy, France from Dec. 28, 1943. He earned not only the respect of his fellow servicemen and women, but also earned various honors, including EAM and ETO Medal with the World War II Victory Medal.

Eddie enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. He was the kind of person who liked creating things. Some of his favorite pastimes were Bowling.

Eddie developed a number of favorite things throughout his life. When it came to food, Buddy particularly liked beans and sweet potatoes pie. Sitting down and watching a movie or television show was always something he enjoyed. Eddie's favorite television show is Tyler Perry's. Eddie enjoyed jazz music.

Eddie felt excited and challenged by sports. Even those times when he may not have been the best, he loved to participate. He thoroughly enjoyed the competition as well as the pleasure of being around other people. He relished any opportunities in which he could make an impact. In fact, it was not uncommon for him to push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, he never seemed to get caught off guard. Even when confronted by the unexpected he was able to react and often succeed, thinking quickly on his feet. He also enjoyed watching his favorite teams and events whenever he got the opportunity.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Buddy recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. Eddie was a Christian.

Eddie believed that you had to experience life to its fullest and his life in retirement was no different. The day to retire finally arrived in 1987. Like most things in his life, he took it in stride as one more way to have fun. In West Corina, California. Eddie's home was very loving and peaceful. With his boundless energy, he remained busy with people and projects. Following retirement, Eddie worked as a crossing guard, he enjoyed helping children. Not only did Eddie stay in touch with old friends, he befriended plenty of new people as well. Some of these new friends included Frank Aris.

Eddie Willis left us on April 28, 2011. He passed away at Odyssey Harbor House in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was 87 years old. The cause of death was cancer. He is survived by his beloved wife, Annie Bell and three adult children and nine grandchildren. Services were handled by Palm Mortuary. Eddie was laid to rest at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada on Monday, May 9, 2011.

Eddie was always sharing a good laugh and bringing joy to all of those around him. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and a zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Eddie Willis Jr. lived life to its fullest and made everyone happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Boulder Highway Mortuary, Henderson, NV.