DANVILLE, Va. — Dennis Daryl Willis Sr., 58, of 34 Oak Ridge Ave., Danville, Va. 24541, went home to be with our Lord on Sunday (Sept. 25, 2011), after being in declining health since 2010.
He was born May 2, 1953, in Blackwater, Va., where much of his family still resides. Dennis was the son of M.D. and Carrie Willis. He was of the Baptist faith. Dennis, his brother, Tony and their parents moved to Danville when he was very young. He quit school at 17 to work in Dan River Mills and worked there for over 30 years without missing a day, until the mass layoff in 2004. He then went back to school and proudly earned his G.E.D. He worked at Yorktown making cabinets for a short time, before a position opened at the Danville Public Schools in the maintenance department. Dennis made many friends while working for the school system and was well liked by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Dennis met and married Beatrice Shelton in 1979 and they had a son, Dennis "Bo" Willis Jr., in 1979. Dennis and Beatrice divorced in 1983. He moved back with his widowed mother. Beatrice remarried, however they remained very close friends through the years while raising "Bo" and she was constantly at his side after his health began to decline. Dennis' brother, Tony, passed away while his son, T.J., and stepson, Jimmy, where very young. Dennis was very close to them after Tony's death, and loved his nephews very much. Dennis retired on disability from the Danville Public Schools in 2010 after being diagnosed with stage 6 liver cancer. At the time he was also caretaker of his mother, whom he was very close to and who had suffered a stroke. Dennis always had a positive outlook and a smile on his face. He was and is an inspiration to us all. Before his declining health, Dennis loved to raise squirrel dogs and race pigeons. He was the co-creator of the UKC Denmark Feist Breed of Squirrel Dog, and was a 1998 National Hunting Champion.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, M.D. and Carrie Willis; and his brother, Tony Remi Willis Sr.
He is survived by his son, Dennis Daryl "Bo" Willis Jr. and wife, Candy and step-grandson, Christopher Tyler Scearce of Dry Fork, Va.; stepson, Shane Fowlkes and step-grandsons, Tyler and Josh Fowlkes of Chatham, Va.; nephews, Tony Remi "T.J." Willis Jr. and wife, Amy, of Chatham, Va., and Jimmy Vaughan and wife, Tammy, of Chatham; great-nephews, Tyler and Hunter Vaughan, and Jacob Willis of Chatham, Va.; great-niece, Brittany Poole of Chatham, Va.; special aunt, Addie Walton of Blackwater, Va.; special uncle, Tommy Lawson of Blackwater, Va.; special cousins, Billy Walton, and wife, Kathy, and their daughter, Mitzi, of Kingsport, and Doug and Helen Willis of Kyles Ford, Tenn.; special friends, Herbert and Joan Holley of Danville, Va., Pete and Beatrice Castiglione of Hudson, Fla., and Danville, Va., Patrick Motley of Ringgold, Va., Matthew Carter of Chatham, Va., Mark Slade of Climax, Va., Helen McCracken of Kingsport, Joanie (former caretaker) and Boyd Shelton of Tennessee, Steve and Betty Gauldin of Chatham, Va., Trent and Gloria Haskins of Callands, Va.; and a host of other relatives and friends.
The funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. today in the chapel of Robinette Funeral Home (696 A.J. Osborne Hwy.) in Blackwater, Va., with Elder Walter Willis and Elder Coy Willis officiating.
Interment will follow in the Osborne Cemetery in Flower Gap community of Blackwater, Va.
The family respectfully suggests, in lieu of flowers, that memorials in his honor be made to the American Cancer Society, 1079C Spruce St., Martinsville, Va. 24112 or by phone at 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org .
To view and sign the guest registry, please visit GoDanRiver.com .
He was born May 2, 1953, in Blackwater, Va., where much of his family still resides. Dennis was the son of M.D. and Carrie Willis. He was of the Baptist faith. Dennis, his brother, Tony and their parents moved to Danville when he was very young. He quit school at 17 to work in Dan River Mills and worked there for over 30 years without missing a day, until the mass layoff in 2004. He then went back to school and proudly earned his G.E.D. He worked at Yorktown making cabinets for a short time, before a position opened at the Danville Public Schools in the maintenance department. Dennis made many friends while working for the school system and was well liked by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Dennis met and married Beatrice Shelton in 1979 and they had a son, Dennis "Bo" Willis Jr., in 1979. Dennis and Beatrice divorced in 1983. He moved back with his widowed mother. Beatrice remarried, however they remained very close friends through the years while raising "Bo" and she was constantly at his side after his health began to decline. Dennis' brother, Tony, passed away while his son, T.J., and stepson, Jimmy, where very young. Dennis was very close to them after Tony's death, and loved his nephews very much. Dennis retired on disability from the Danville Public Schools in 2010 after being diagnosed with stage 6 liver cancer. At the time he was also caretaker of his mother, whom he was very close to and who had suffered a stroke. Dennis always had a positive outlook and a smile on his face. He was and is an inspiration to us all. Before his declining health, Dennis loved to raise squirrel dogs and race pigeons. He was the co-creator of the UKC Denmark Feist Breed of Squirrel Dog, and was a 1998 National Hunting Champion.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, M.D. and Carrie Willis; and his brother, Tony Remi Willis Sr.
He is survived by his son, Dennis Daryl "Bo" Willis Jr. and wife, Candy and step-grandson, Christopher Tyler Scearce of Dry Fork, Va.; stepson, Shane Fowlkes and step-grandsons, Tyler and Josh Fowlkes of Chatham, Va.; nephews, Tony Remi "T.J." Willis Jr. and wife, Amy, of Chatham, Va., and Jimmy Vaughan and wife, Tammy, of Chatham; great-nephews, Tyler and Hunter Vaughan, and Jacob Willis of Chatham, Va.; great-niece, Brittany Poole of Chatham, Va.; special aunt, Addie Walton of Blackwater, Va.; special uncle, Tommy Lawson of Blackwater, Va.; special cousins, Billy Walton, and wife, Kathy, and their daughter, Mitzi, of Kingsport, and Doug and Helen Willis of Kyles Ford, Tenn.; special friends, Herbert and Joan Holley of Danville, Va., Pete and Beatrice Castiglione of Hudson, Fla., and Danville, Va., Patrick Motley of Ringgold, Va., Matthew Carter of Chatham, Va., Mark Slade of Climax, Va., Helen McCracken of Kingsport, Joanie (former caretaker) and Boyd Shelton of Tennessee, Steve and Betty Gauldin of Chatham, Va., Trent and Gloria Haskins of Callands, Va.; and a host of other relatives and friends.
The funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. today in the chapel of Robinette Funeral Home (696 A.J. Osborne Hwy.) in Blackwater, Va., with Elder Walter Willis and Elder Coy Willis officiating.
Interment will follow in the Osborne Cemetery in Flower Gap community of Blackwater, Va.
The family respectfully suggests, in lieu of flowers, that memorials in his honor be made to the American Cancer Society, 1079C Spruce St., Martinsville, Va. 24112 or by phone at 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org .
To view and sign the guest registry, please visit GoDanRiver.com .
DANVILLE, Va. — Dennis Daryl Willis Sr., 58, of 34 Oak Ridge Ave., Danville, Va. 24541, went home to be with our Lord on Sunday (Sept. 25, 2011), after being in declining health since 2010.
He was born May 2, 1953, in Blackwater, Va., where much of his family still resides. Dennis was the son of M.D. and Carrie Willis. He was of the Baptist faith. Dennis, his brother, Tony and their parents moved to Danville when he was very young. He quit school at 17 to work in Dan River Mills and worked there for over 30 years without missing a day, until the mass layoff in 2004. He then went back to school and proudly earned his G.E.D. He worked at Yorktown making cabinets for a short time, before a position opened at the Danville Public Schools in the maintenance department. Dennis made many friends while working for the school system and was well liked by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Dennis met and married Beatrice Shelton in 1979 and they had a son, Dennis "Bo" Willis Jr., in 1979. Dennis and Beatrice divorced in 1983. He moved back with his widowed mother. Beatrice remarried, however they remained very close friends through the years while raising "Bo" and she was constantly at his side after his health began to decline. Dennis' brother, Tony, passed away while his son, T.J., and stepson, Jimmy, where very young. Dennis was very close to them after Tony's death, and loved his nephews very much. Dennis retired on disability from the Danville Public Schools in 2010 after being diagnosed with stage 6 liver cancer. At the time he was also caretaker of his mother, whom he was very close to and who had suffered a stroke. Dennis always had a positive outlook and a smile on his face. He was and is an inspiration to us all. Before his declining health, Dennis loved to raise squirrel dogs and race pigeons. He was the co-creator of the UKC Denmark Feist Breed of Squirrel Dog, and was a 1998 National Hunting Champion.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, M.D. and Carrie Willis; and his brother, Tony Remi Willis Sr.
He is survived by his son, Dennis Daryl "Bo" Willis Jr. and wife, Candy and step-grandson, Christopher Tyler Scearce of Dry Fork, Va.; stepson, Shane Fowlkes and step-grandsons, Tyler and Josh Fowlkes of Chatham, Va.; nephews, Tony Remi "T.J." Willis Jr. and wife, Amy, of Chatham, Va., and Jimmy Vaughan and wife, Tammy, of Chatham; great-nephews, Tyler and Hunter Vaughan, and Jacob Willis of Chatham, Va.; great-niece, Brittany Poole of Chatham, Va.; special aunt, Addie Walton of Blackwater, Va.; special uncle, Tommy Lawson of Blackwater, Va.; special cousins, Billy Walton, and wife, Kathy, and their daughter, Mitzi, of Kingsport, and Doug and Helen Willis of Kyles Ford, Tenn.; special friends, Herbert and Joan Holley of Danville, Va., Pete and Beatrice Castiglione of Hudson, Fla., and Danville, Va., Patrick Motley of Ringgold, Va., Matthew Carter of Chatham, Va., Mark Slade of Climax, Va., Helen McCracken of Kingsport, Joanie (former caretaker) and Boyd Shelton of Tennessee, Steve and Betty Gauldin of Chatham, Va., Trent and Gloria Haskins of Callands, Va.; and a host of other relatives and friends.
The funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. today in the chapel of Robinette Funeral Home (696 A.J. Osborne Hwy.) in Blackwater, Va., with Elder Walter Willis and Elder Coy Willis officiating.
Interment will follow in the Osborne Cemetery in Flower Gap community of Blackwater, Va.
The family respectfully suggests, in lieu of flowers, that memorials in his honor be made to the American Cancer Society, 1079C Spruce St., Martinsville, Va. 24112 or by phone at 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org .
To view and sign the guest registry, please visit GoDanRiver.com .
He was born May 2, 1953, in Blackwater, Va., where much of his family still resides. Dennis was the son of M.D. and Carrie Willis. He was of the Baptist faith. Dennis, his brother, Tony and their parents moved to Danville when he was very young. He quit school at 17 to work in Dan River Mills and worked there for over 30 years without missing a day, until the mass layoff in 2004. He then went back to school and proudly earned his G.E.D. He worked at Yorktown making cabinets for a short time, before a position opened at the Danville Public Schools in the maintenance department. Dennis made many friends while working for the school system and was well liked by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Dennis met and married Beatrice Shelton in 1979 and they had a son, Dennis "Bo" Willis Jr., in 1979. Dennis and Beatrice divorced in 1983. He moved back with his widowed mother. Beatrice remarried, however they remained very close friends through the years while raising "Bo" and she was constantly at his side after his health began to decline. Dennis' brother, Tony, passed away while his son, T.J., and stepson, Jimmy, where very young. Dennis was very close to them after Tony's death, and loved his nephews very much. Dennis retired on disability from the Danville Public Schools in 2010 after being diagnosed with stage 6 liver cancer. At the time he was also caretaker of his mother, whom he was very close to and who had suffered a stroke. Dennis always had a positive outlook and a smile on his face. He was and is an inspiration to us all. Before his declining health, Dennis loved to raise squirrel dogs and race pigeons. He was the co-creator of the UKC Denmark Feist Breed of Squirrel Dog, and was a 1998 National Hunting Champion.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, M.D. and Carrie Willis; and his brother, Tony Remi Willis Sr.
He is survived by his son, Dennis Daryl "Bo" Willis Jr. and wife, Candy and step-grandson, Christopher Tyler Scearce of Dry Fork, Va.; stepson, Shane Fowlkes and step-grandsons, Tyler and Josh Fowlkes of Chatham, Va.; nephews, Tony Remi "T.J." Willis Jr. and wife, Amy, of Chatham, Va., and Jimmy Vaughan and wife, Tammy, of Chatham; great-nephews, Tyler and Hunter Vaughan, and Jacob Willis of Chatham, Va.; great-niece, Brittany Poole of Chatham, Va.; special aunt, Addie Walton of Blackwater, Va.; special uncle, Tommy Lawson of Blackwater, Va.; special cousins, Billy Walton, and wife, Kathy, and their daughter, Mitzi, of Kingsport, and Doug and Helen Willis of Kyles Ford, Tenn.; special friends, Herbert and Joan Holley of Danville, Va., Pete and Beatrice Castiglione of Hudson, Fla., and Danville, Va., Patrick Motley of Ringgold, Va., Matthew Carter of Chatham, Va., Mark Slade of Climax, Va., Helen McCracken of Kingsport, Joanie (former caretaker) and Boyd Shelton of Tennessee, Steve and Betty Gauldin of Chatham, Va., Trent and Gloria Haskins of Callands, Va.; and a host of other relatives and friends.
The funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. today in the chapel of Robinette Funeral Home (696 A.J. Osborne Hwy.) in Blackwater, Va., with Elder Walter Willis and Elder Coy Willis officiating.
Interment will follow in the Osborne Cemetery in Flower Gap community of Blackwater, Va.
The family respectfully suggests, in lieu of flowers, that memorials in his honor be made to the American Cancer Society, 1079C Spruce St., Martinsville, Va. 24112 or by phone at 1-800-227-2345 or online at www.cancer.org .
To view and sign the guest registry, please visit GoDanRiver.com .
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
