Louise M. Willis, 93, passed away peacefully during the early morning hour of Tuesday, September 25, 2018. Louise was born on February 2, 1925 in Greenwood, Mississippi to Walter and Lovie Willis. Louise was employed for many years as a nursing home nurse aide and was the proud mother of five.
Louise was a very simple person that did not like cameras or funny things. She never learned to drive a car and never consumed alcohol. Louise was obedient to God in the all that she did and never complained about anything.
Although simple, she was very in touch with history. She was an expert of African-American history, not because she read it, but because she lived it. She witnessed the first sit in of African – American students at North Carolina A&T University.
She was touched by the murdering of four girls at 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL and the murder of Emmitt Till. She drank from the colored only water fountains and relieved herself in the colored only restrooms. She lived through the incarceration and release of Nelson Madela.
She took part in the Martin Luther King Affirmative Action Movement and boasted of the many African-American accomplishments over the years, such as Stokley Carmichael, Shirley Chisholm, Barbara Jordan, Tom Bradley, Thurgood Marshall, Hank Aaron, Wilt Chamberlain, Arthur Ashe, Michael Jackson, Carl Lewis, Jessie Jackson, Drew Gregory, Oprah Winfrey and too many more to mention. She was most proud of Barack Obama for exceeding all expectations and adding an asterisk to African-American history. Louise grew up with BB King and loved Western movies, “Perry Mason”, “Murder, She Wrote” and she could tell you the birth date of EVERY family member.
She was a long-time resident of Michiana and a loving mother, aunt, sister, cousin and friend. Louise is survived by her children: Barbara (Robert) Verse of South Bend, Donald (Delores) Willis of Columbus, Ohio, Wayne (Cherie) Willis of Lawton, Oklahoma, Lovie (Darian Jordan) Willis of Lawton, Oklahoma and John Willis of South Bend; 20 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Louise was preceded in death by her parents; long-term companion, Angelo Reed; sister Carrie King; brothers Walter Willis and Robert Willis; and three great-grandchildren.
Services for Ms. Louise M. Willis will be held on October 1, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. at Palmer Funeral Home – West Chapel, 2702 Lincolnway West, South Bend IN 46628. Friends may call on the family for visitation for one hour prior to service at the funeral home. Pastor André A. McGhee to officiate.
Burial to follow at Highland Cemetery. Online expressions of sympathy may be left for the family at www.
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