Lucille Elizabeth Willis

Sunrise

April 25, 1936

Sunset

April 11, 2014

On Friday, April 11, 2014, Lucille E. Willis answered the call of her Heavenly Father to come home to her final resting place.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…” Psalm 23:1

Lucille Elizabeth Stephens was born on April 25, 1936 to Montrosia Scott and Arthur Stephens, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. At the age of 9, Lucille left Yazoo to join her mother Monty and her step-father Casabanic Anderson in Oakland, California.

It was in Oakland at an early age that Lucille answered her calling of mentoring and working with inner city youth, creating activities at Defremery Park in West Oakland to help kids express their talents and stay out of trouble!

She graduated from McClymonds High School in 1953. While continuing with her mentoring programs in West Oakland she also worked for several Oakland businesses while attending San Francisco State.

After a long friendship and courtship, she married her long time love Warner Willis. They started a family soon after. Lucille dedicated her life and her heart to her family. The couple became one of very few small black business owners in the Bay Area, catering to the community she grew up in and would later help to develop as a part of history.

Lucille’s work with inner city youth, and mentoring became a large part of her life up until the day she passed. There was never a day to go by that some young woman or man did not reap the benefits of just knowing Mrs. Willis. She educated, nurtured, fed, saved, and shaped the lives of many a young person. Her calling was evident at a very young age, and Lucille made sure she followed the path God had mapped out for her.

“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for my God is with me…” Psalm 23:4

In the mid 70’s she moved to Anchorage, Alaska where she started a multicultural group called Creative, Awareness & Pride. She cultivated a young group of people from a wide array of cultural backgrounds. She made them Aware of their talents, displayed their Creative art forms, and helped us all to be Proud of who we are!

After spending some 30 years or more in Alaska, she moved to Seattle, Washington where she lived for several years, and then her final home in Georgia where she spent her last days with her youngest daughter Shawn.

Lucille enjoyed the good life, she was a caring mother to more than the two children she birthed into this world. Her faith in God and the love of her family, some would say were her greatest assets. But to those who knew her well, they would attest to her limitless talents, wealth of knowledge and her beautiful smile.

For each feather God dropped down from heaven, Lucille saved them all for her wings and her fabulous entry through heavens gates.

She leaves to cherish her life & memories, her daughters Shillesa Ninnis of San Francisco, CA and Shawn Willis of Acworth, GA. As well as a host of nieces & nephews, and a life long list of unforgettable friends.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever.. AMEN” Psalm 23:6

God Bless you mommy, we will miss you!