Mike Willis Sr.

Mike, a good and faithful servant, would like you to know that his work here is done. He is now with his Lord and Savior Jesus, in whom he had faith. He is reunited with beloved family and friends and is meeting his brother and father-in-law for the first time.

Mike is socializing, talking and laughing with every person he meets. He's likely gardening and reading to his heart’s content. Music, of the James Taylor variety, ice cream, the beach and the summer sun abounds.

He is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, of 46 years, his son, Mike and his wife Vanessa, his daughter Katie McWilliams and her husband David, and six grandchildren - Maddie, Palmer, Luke, Sarabeth, Ben and Evie.

While they all will miss him dearly, they find immense comfort in knowing he is fully Mike again, no longer overcome by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and they can’t wait to see him in Heaven.

Mike was born in Washington, NC on July 24, 1942 to Phillip Solomon Willis and Olive Paul Willis. After finishing high school, he attended UNC, graduating in 1965 with dual degrees in English and Political Science, before serving in the Navy.

He held various sales jobs, ultimately settling in Raleigh and working for Xerox selling copiers and leading trainings, where he was awarded a Top 100 Xerox sales representative in the United States in 1973. It was during this time that he met and married Nancy. The two of them used to joke that Nancy ran from him from office to office and Mike just happened to follow her and sell her company another machine.

Once he had children, he made the decision to leave a career he loved and excelled at in order to spend more time home with his family. He worked at Belk Service Center until retirement.

In 2009, Mike was a founding member of Harvest Raleigh and hosted the church’s first gatherings in his own living room. Mike is known for helping shape the welcoming personality of the church.

We will remember him as a loving husband, the best dad and a beloved Papa. His smile, wit, warmth, kindness and generosity was an example to many.

Our family is very thankful for his many caregivers who loved him and us through these last years.

A celebration of Mike's life will be held at 12:30pm on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Harvest Raleigh Church, 2817 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27616. All are welcome and invited to attend Mike's celebration. The family kindly requests all attendees wear a mask at all times and also respect social distancing recommendations.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Harvest Raleigh Church (harvestraleigh.org/giving) or Community Home Care & Hospice (https://www.communityhch.com/)