Willie Fred Courtney Jr.

He was the first-born son of Willie F. Courtney, Sr. and Helon Nixon Courtney, born in Jackson on July 2, 1946. Willie graduated from Central High School and shortly after began working for Kroger, then he worked at Knox Glass for a few years. He ended his working career at Sperry Vickers in the late 70’s due to illness.

Willie loved joking around and having fun. If you ever met him, you liked him. He had that type of personality.

The family would like to express sincere thanks to Jimmy Mangrum and his wife Sherry for the love and kindness they showed to him in the last few years of his life. Also, many thanks to special friends, Lisa Pender McKay, Judy Shivers and Gina Green for all you did for him and the many prayers lifted on our behalf.

Willie’s sister loved him deeply and will miss him more than he could ever comprehend. By a cruel twist of fate he never married or dared to give his heart away, and therefore never enjoyed a family of his own.

He is preceded in death by his parents Fred and Helon, brother Ted Courtney and niece Christie Courtney Grubbs.

He is survived by his sister, Kathy Courtney Waldrop (Howard); niece, Amanda Courtney Farner (Eric);

nephews, Ted Courtney, and Lucas Courtney (Jessica); great-nieces, Victoria Lewis Wheat (Cody), Courtney Lewis, Savannah Lewis McAlpin (Brice) and Katelyn Grubbs;and great nephews, Matthew Lewis and Trey Grubbs.

A Celebration of Willie's life will be held at 4:00pm, Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the Holiday Inn-Trustmark Park in Pearl.