*According to two of her grandsons, her full name was Margarett Alissa Ann Price (Barnes)Willis. Although most refer to her as Margaret Melissa.

Funeral Rites Held Tuesday For Margaret Ann Willis
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Funeral services for the late Mrs. Margaret Ann Willis were held at the Ellington Methodist Church on Tuesday afternoon of this week, with the service in charge of Rev. W. M. Mangam, pastor.

Mrs. Willis had been ill for some time, suffering a stroke several days ago, and gradually grew worse until she passed away on Sunday morning, January 28, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Clayton Asberry of Dry Valley.

The deceased, daughter of William and Elizabeth Barnes, was born May 9, 1863, and was 87 years, 8 months and 19 days old when she passed away. She was united in marriage to Francis Marion Willis (also known as "F.M."), Sept 17, 1884 and to this union, 8 children were born. She was preceded in death by her husband and two children.

The surviving children are: John, of Williamsburg, PA.;
George of Falcon, MO.; Thomas of Carrollton, MO.; Mrs. Marcus (Frances Lavanda) Amsden of Corridon; Mrs. Elwood (Julia Paradine)Masterson of Nashville, IN.; and Mrs. Clayton (Floy Ethel) Asberry of Ellington, MO. She is also survived by 38 grandchildren, and 62 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Willis spent most of her life at the family home on Dry Valley, near Ellington, Reynolds County, Missouri, and all who knew her recognized her sterling character. She was a good neighbor, a kind friend, a Christian mother, and her going will bring sorrow to her family and a host of friends and acquaintances.

Burial was in the Ellington City Cemetery, Ellington, Reynolds County, Missouri.

* Margarett is buried close to, but not beside her husband. She would have been remembered for the many quilts she made.

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Printed in an unknown newspaper in 1947 was the following article.

AN OZARK QUILT MAKER
On the day when she celebrates her eighty-ninth birthday anniversary, which will be May 9'th, Mrs. Francis M. Willis can count the handmade patchwork quilts she has done, and the number will be 515. Every one was pieced and put together at her farm home twelve miles south of Centerville, in Reynolds County in Southeastern Missouri, where she was born and lived all her life.
From piles of neatly folded quilts she can lift out the Double Wedding Ring pattern, the Flower Garden, Cup-and Saucer and one called Sunshine and Shade. She isn't quite certain how many different kinds she has made. There is a small stack, about a dozen quilts, done on the sewing machine, but Mrs. Willis, known throughout the community as "Grandma Willis," likes her handmade coverlets best. She has sold dozens of them and many have been gifts--eighty-five for her six children, and forty-seven for the thirty-eight grandchildren.
All this has been accomplished despite the loss of sight of one eye suffered in her youth.
Mrs. Willis is skilled in all the arts of pioneer farm life in the Ozark hills. One of these was carding and spinning sheep's wool for socks and mittens which she knitted, and for blankets of her own weaving. For years she was noted for making the tastiest honey-clear molasses anywhere around.
Much of the 160-acre farm on which she lives was cleared by her own hand as the entire valley where the farm is located was a wilderness when her father paid $60 to the government for holders rights some years before the Civil War. Mrs. Willis' husband died several years ago but she has continued to live alone in the old home.

* The newspaper article stated that she would be celebrating her 89'th birthday, although her obituary and her tombstone, both reflect that she was not quite 88 years old when she passed away.