Roy Gene Willis was born on December 6, 1945 to Clarence Odell and Edith (Hicks) Willis in Carnegie, Oklahoma and passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2019 at Skyview Nursing Home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at the age of 73 years, 7 months, and 1 day.
Roy Gene was raised south of Mountain View and attended Mountain View Schools graduating with the Class of 1964. On July 3, 1965 he married Dolores Colwell in Mountain View, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the US Army and served for 3 years before returning to Oklahoma City. He attended OSU-OKC where he earned an associate degree. He worked for RK Black as a service technician for 8 years before moving to Weatherford where he worked at the 3M, Imation and Kodak plant until retiring in 2012. Roy Gene enjoyed spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, and golfing. Memorials may be made to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – Alzheimer’s Research.
Roy Gene is survived by his wife, Dolores Willis of the home in Weatherford; two sons, Brian Willis and wife Robin of Oklahoma City, OK and Greg Willis and wife Kim of Newcastle, OK; and four grandchildren, Maximus Willis, Emily Willis, Christopher Law, and Matthew Law; as well as many loving brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, and nephews. Roy Gene is preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Calvin, Johnny, and Kyle Ray; and one daughter, Kathleen Renae.
Roy Gene Willis
(Through the eyes and memory of Dolores)
Roy Gene was the youngest of 4 boys and except for a few years when he lived in Oklahoma City, he lived on the family farm South of Mountain View. It was on the farm that he learned the value and need to work hard and always do your best.
When Dolores was a Junior in high school, Roy Gene asked Dennis if he thought it would be okay if he asked Dolores out. So, Dennis told Mom and Dad that Gene was a good guy.
Roy Gene drove a school bus during his junior and senior years in high school, which must have been a really big responsibility for such a young person. He started attending the Mt View First Baptist Church with Dolores during his Senior year and accepted Christ as his savior.
After he graduated from high school, he moved to Oklahoma City and lived with his Mom where he took a surveying job while taking classes in a technical school and talked about this experience off and on through the years, pointing out the areas that he helped survey.
Roy Gene and Dolores married soon after she graduated from high school and by then he was working at Fred Jones Manufacturing Company in Oklahoma City and remained there until he was drafted into the U. S. Army in the fall of 1966. His basic training was at Fort Bliss, Texas and received an expert in rifles and was trained as a radar operator. After basic training, he was stationed in Fort Sill for a few months. Their daughter, Kathleen, was born in April, 1967 while he was at Fort Sill, but she only lived 5 ½ weeks. Around October of that year he was sent to Hanau, Germany and Dolores joined him in early December. They lived in a one-room apartment on the third floor of a building within the German economy. Can you imagine how surprised Dolores was when he announced that they would be having 6 soldiers there in their tiny apartment for Christmas Dinner.
Living in another country was a great experience for the two of them and they have had many fond memories of their time there. Dolores came home in February, 1969 and Brian was born in early May but, because of complications, was premature. After receiving a telegram from the Red Cross saying Mother and Son were in serious condition but expected to live, his commander allowed him to catch a military hop plane back to the United States. He actually got back to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and saw Brian before Dolores got to see Brian. The Army transferred him back to Fort Sill where he finished out his 3 years of service.
They moved back to Oklahoma City after he was discharged from the Army and he went back to work at Fred Jones Manufacturing because during this time the companies were required to rehire the men that were drafted and had to leave their job. After a few months, he started looking for a better job and was hired at R. K. Black, Inc. as a service repairman for their background music and copy machines. He worked for R. K. Black, Inc. for about 7-8 years and during this time he attended night classes at OSU Tech in OKC where he earned his associate degree in Electronical Technology. He and Dolores made lifelong friends at R. K. Black, Inc.
Because his father had Alzheimer ’s disease and needed help on the farm, Roy Gene accepted a job at the 3M Company in the Fall of 1978 so that he could help his dad on the weekends. Roy continued working at the same job there in the maintenance department servicing and calibrating the machinery for about 34 years but the company changed names several times. Everyone at 3M seemed to know him, along with all the other maintenance personnel and he had many friends and acquaintances there.
He and Dolores were active in their children’s lives during their school years helping with Cub Scouts, Soccer, and even driving them to BMX races. He taught his sons that they needed to work to earn their own money and should always work hard and always do their best.
Roy Gene loved his family. Max was able to spend a lot of time with his grandparents during summer breaks and spring and fall breaks. He and Pawpaw were able to do a lot of things together such as learning to fish, shoot his BB gun and use a bow and arrow. I’m sure Max will have a lot of fond memories of Pawpaw. He also loved little Emily. You could see the love in his face when held her and she loved her Pawpaw too.
Roy Gene also loved the rest of the family. He and Kyle Ray, being the two youngest siblings, did a lot of things together on the farm. And he loved it when all the families got together when the children were small. He always looked up to his big brother, Calvin. And spent a lot of time with Johnny before his death.
And he loved the Colwell clan! The Colwell’s have all been really close throughout the years and he was the first “inlaw” and Melba followed a month later. He loved all those Colwell get-togethers which was about every other week while our children were small.
Please know that although his mind was fading, he knew your faces. He was a really friendly person, even as his disease was taking over; He was able to cover up his problem for a long time. He’d just shake hands and say “Well Hello” to every man he met. We’d walk through Wal-Mart, and he’d just shake all the men’s hands and say “Well Hello”. Sometimes (actually many times), they’d have this expression on their face of “Who are You?” And now, I’m sure he is up in heaven and shaking hands and saying “Well Hello” and they all say, “Well Hello, Roy Gene”!
Roy Gene was raised south of Mountain View and attended Mountain View Schools graduating with the Class of 1964. On July 3, 1965 he married Dolores Colwell in Mountain View, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the US Army and served for 3 years before returning to Oklahoma City. He attended OSU-OKC where he earned an associate degree. He worked for RK Black as a service technician for 8 years before moving to Weatherford where he worked at the 3M, Imation and Kodak plant until retiring in 2012. Roy Gene enjoyed spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, and golfing. Memorials may be made to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – Alzheimer’s Research.
Roy Gene is survived by his wife, Dolores Willis of the home in Weatherford; two sons, Brian Willis and wife Robin of Oklahoma City, OK and Greg Willis and wife Kim of Newcastle, OK; and four grandchildren, Maximus Willis, Emily Willis, Christopher Law, and Matthew Law; as well as many loving brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, and nephews. Roy Gene is preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Calvin, Johnny, and Kyle Ray; and one daughter, Kathleen Renae.
Roy Gene Willis
(Through the eyes and memory of Dolores)
Roy Gene was the youngest of 4 boys and except for a few years when he lived in Oklahoma City, he lived on the family farm South of Mountain View. It was on the farm that he learned the value and need to work hard and always do your best.
When Dolores was a Junior in high school, Roy Gene asked Dennis if he thought it would be okay if he asked Dolores out. So, Dennis told Mom and Dad that Gene was a good guy.
Roy Gene drove a school bus during his junior and senior years in high school, which must have been a really big responsibility for such a young person. He started attending the Mt View First Baptist Church with Dolores during his Senior year and accepted Christ as his savior.
After he graduated from high school, he moved to Oklahoma City and lived with his Mom where he took a surveying job while taking classes in a technical school and talked about this experience off and on through the years, pointing out the areas that he helped survey.
Roy Gene and Dolores married soon after she graduated from high school and by then he was working at Fred Jones Manufacturing Company in Oklahoma City and remained there until he was drafted into the U. S. Army in the fall of 1966. His basic training was at Fort Bliss, Texas and received an expert in rifles and was trained as a radar operator. After basic training, he was stationed in Fort Sill for a few months. Their daughter, Kathleen, was born in April, 1967 while he was at Fort Sill, but she only lived 5 ½ weeks. Around October of that year he was sent to Hanau, Germany and Dolores joined him in early December. They lived in a one-room apartment on the third floor of a building within the German economy. Can you imagine how surprised Dolores was when he announced that they would be having 6 soldiers there in their tiny apartment for Christmas Dinner.
Living in another country was a great experience for the two of them and they have had many fond memories of their time there. Dolores came home in February, 1969 and Brian was born in early May but, because of complications, was premature. After receiving a telegram from the Red Cross saying Mother and Son were in serious condition but expected to live, his commander allowed him to catch a military hop plane back to the United States. He actually got back to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and saw Brian before Dolores got to see Brian. The Army transferred him back to Fort Sill where he finished out his 3 years of service.
They moved back to Oklahoma City after he was discharged from the Army and he went back to work at Fred Jones Manufacturing because during this time the companies were required to rehire the men that were drafted and had to leave their job. After a few months, he started looking for a better job and was hired at R. K. Black, Inc. as a service repairman for their background music and copy machines. He worked for R. K. Black, Inc. for about 7-8 years and during this time he attended night classes at OSU Tech in OKC where he earned his associate degree in Electronical Technology. He and Dolores made lifelong friends at R. K. Black, Inc.
Because his father had Alzheimer ’s disease and needed help on the farm, Roy Gene accepted a job at the 3M Company in the Fall of 1978 so that he could help his dad on the weekends. Roy continued working at the same job there in the maintenance department servicing and calibrating the machinery for about 34 years but the company changed names several times. Everyone at 3M seemed to know him, along with all the other maintenance personnel and he had many friends and acquaintances there.
He and Dolores were active in their children’s lives during their school years helping with Cub Scouts, Soccer, and even driving them to BMX races. He taught his sons that they needed to work to earn their own money and should always work hard and always do their best.
Roy Gene loved his family. Max was able to spend a lot of time with his grandparents during summer breaks and spring and fall breaks. He and Pawpaw were able to do a lot of things together such as learning to fish, shoot his BB gun and use a bow and arrow. I’m sure Max will have a lot of fond memories of Pawpaw. He also loved little Emily. You could see the love in his face when held her and she loved her Pawpaw too.
Roy Gene also loved the rest of the family. He and Kyle Ray, being the two youngest siblings, did a lot of things together on the farm. And he loved it when all the families got together when the children were small. He always looked up to his big brother, Calvin. And spent a lot of time with Johnny before his death.
And he loved the Colwell clan! The Colwell’s have all been really close throughout the years and he was the first “inlaw” and Melba followed a month later. He loved all those Colwell get-togethers which was about every other week while our children were small.
Please know that although his mind was fading, he knew your faces. He was a really friendly person, even as his disease was taking over; He was able to cover up his problem for a long time. He’d just shake hands and say “Well Hello” to every man he met. We’d walk through Wal-Mart, and he’d just shake all the men’s hands and say “Well Hello”. Sometimes (actually many times), they’d have this expression on their face of “Who are You?” And now, I’m sure he is up in heaven and shaking hands and saying “Well Hello” and they all say, “Well Hello, Roy Gene”!
Roy Gene Willis was born on December 6, 1945 to Clarence Odell and Edith (Hicks) Willis in Carnegie, Oklahoma and passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2019 at Skyview Nursing Home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at the age of 73 years, 7 months, and 1 day.
Roy Gene was raised south of Mountain View and attended Mountain View Schools graduating with the Class of 1964. On July 3, 1965 he married Dolores Colwell in Mountain View, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the US Army and served for 3 years before returning to Oklahoma City. He attended OSU-OKC where he earned an associate degree. He worked for RK Black as a service technician for 8 years before moving to Weatherford where he worked at the 3M, Imation and Kodak plant until retiring in 2012. Roy Gene enjoyed spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, and golfing. Memorials may be made to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – Alzheimer’s Research.
Roy Gene is survived by his wife, Dolores Willis of the home in Weatherford; two sons, Brian Willis and wife Robin of Oklahoma City, OK and Greg Willis and wife Kim of Newcastle, OK; and four grandchildren, Maximus Willis, Emily Willis, Christopher Law, and Matthew Law; as well as many loving brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, and nephews. Roy Gene is preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Calvin, Johnny, and Kyle Ray; and one daughter, Kathleen Renae.
Roy Gene Willis
(Through the eyes and memory of Dolores)
Roy Gene was the youngest of 4 boys and except for a few years when he lived in Oklahoma City, he lived on the family farm South of Mountain View. It was on the farm that he learned the value and need to work hard and always do your best.
When Dolores was a Junior in high school, Roy Gene asked Dennis if he thought it would be okay if he asked Dolores out. So, Dennis told Mom and Dad that Gene was a good guy.
Roy Gene drove a school bus during his junior and senior years in high school, which must have been a really big responsibility for such a young person. He started attending the Mt View First Baptist Church with Dolores during his Senior year and accepted Christ as his savior.
After he graduated from high school, he moved to Oklahoma City and lived with his Mom where he took a surveying job while taking classes in a technical school and talked about this experience off and on through the years, pointing out the areas that he helped survey.
Roy Gene and Dolores married soon after she graduated from high school and by then he was working at Fred Jones Manufacturing Company in Oklahoma City and remained there until he was drafted into the U. S. Army in the fall of 1966. His basic training was at Fort Bliss, Texas and received an expert in rifles and was trained as a radar operator. After basic training, he was stationed in Fort Sill for a few months. Their daughter, Kathleen, was born in April, 1967 while he was at Fort Sill, but she only lived 5 ½ weeks. Around October of that year he was sent to Hanau, Germany and Dolores joined him in early December. They lived in a one-room apartment on the third floor of a building within the German economy. Can you imagine how surprised Dolores was when he announced that they would be having 6 soldiers there in their tiny apartment for Christmas Dinner.
Living in another country was a great experience for the two of them and they have had many fond memories of their time there. Dolores came home in February, 1969 and Brian was born in early May but, because of complications, was premature. After receiving a telegram from the Red Cross saying Mother and Son were in serious condition but expected to live, his commander allowed him to catch a military hop plane back to the United States. He actually got back to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and saw Brian before Dolores got to see Brian. The Army transferred him back to Fort Sill where he finished out his 3 years of service.
They moved back to Oklahoma City after he was discharged from the Army and he went back to work at Fred Jones Manufacturing because during this time the companies were required to rehire the men that were drafted and had to leave their job. After a few months, he started looking for a better job and was hired at R. K. Black, Inc. as a service repairman for their background music and copy machines. He worked for R. K. Black, Inc. for about 7-8 years and during this time he attended night classes at OSU Tech in OKC where he earned his associate degree in Electronical Technology. He and Dolores made lifelong friends at R. K. Black, Inc.
Because his father had Alzheimer ’s disease and needed help on the farm, Roy Gene accepted a job at the 3M Company in the Fall of 1978 so that he could help his dad on the weekends. Roy continued working at the same job there in the maintenance department servicing and calibrating the machinery for about 34 years but the company changed names several times. Everyone at 3M seemed to know him, along with all the other maintenance personnel and he had many friends and acquaintances there.
He and Dolores were active in their children’s lives during their school years helping with Cub Scouts, Soccer, and even driving them to BMX races. He taught his sons that they needed to work to earn their own money and should always work hard and always do their best.
Roy Gene loved his family. Max was able to spend a lot of time with his grandparents during summer breaks and spring and fall breaks. He and Pawpaw were able to do a lot of things together such as learning to fish, shoot his BB gun and use a bow and arrow. I’m sure Max will have a lot of fond memories of Pawpaw. He also loved little Emily. You could see the love in his face when held her and she loved her Pawpaw too.
Roy Gene also loved the rest of the family. He and Kyle Ray, being the two youngest siblings, did a lot of things together on the farm. And he loved it when all the families got together when the children were small. He always looked up to his big brother, Calvin. And spent a lot of time with Johnny before his death.
And he loved the Colwell clan! The Colwell’s have all been really close throughout the years and he was the first “inlaw” and Melba followed a month later. He loved all those Colwell get-togethers which was about every other week while our children were small.
Please know that although his mind was fading, he knew your faces. He was a really friendly person, even as his disease was taking over; He was able to cover up his problem for a long time. He’d just shake hands and say “Well Hello” to every man he met. We’d walk through Wal-Mart, and he’d just shake all the men’s hands and say “Well Hello”. Sometimes (actually many times), they’d have this expression on their face of “Who are You?” And now, I’m sure he is up in heaven and shaking hands and saying “Well Hello” and they all say, “Well Hello, Roy Gene”!
Roy Gene was raised south of Mountain View and attended Mountain View Schools graduating with the Class of 1964. On July 3, 1965 he married Dolores Colwell in Mountain View, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the US Army and served for 3 years before returning to Oklahoma City. He attended OSU-OKC where he earned an associate degree. He worked for RK Black as a service technician for 8 years before moving to Weatherford where he worked at the 3M, Imation and Kodak plant until retiring in 2012. Roy Gene enjoyed spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, and golfing. Memorials may be made to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – Alzheimer’s Research.
Roy Gene is survived by his wife, Dolores Willis of the home in Weatherford; two sons, Brian Willis and wife Robin of Oklahoma City, OK and Greg Willis and wife Kim of Newcastle, OK; and four grandchildren, Maximus Willis, Emily Willis, Christopher Law, and Matthew Law; as well as many loving brothers in law, sisters in law, nieces, and nephews. Roy Gene is preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Calvin, Johnny, and Kyle Ray; and one daughter, Kathleen Renae.
Roy Gene Willis
(Through the eyes and memory of Dolores)
Roy Gene was the youngest of 4 boys and except for a few years when he lived in Oklahoma City, he lived on the family farm South of Mountain View. It was on the farm that he learned the value and need to work hard and always do your best.
When Dolores was a Junior in high school, Roy Gene asked Dennis if he thought it would be okay if he asked Dolores out. So, Dennis told Mom and Dad that Gene was a good guy.
Roy Gene drove a school bus during his junior and senior years in high school, which must have been a really big responsibility for such a young person. He started attending the Mt View First Baptist Church with Dolores during his Senior year and accepted Christ as his savior.
After he graduated from high school, he moved to Oklahoma City and lived with his Mom where he took a surveying job while taking classes in a technical school and talked about this experience off and on through the years, pointing out the areas that he helped survey.
Roy Gene and Dolores married soon after she graduated from high school and by then he was working at Fred Jones Manufacturing Company in Oklahoma City and remained there until he was drafted into the U. S. Army in the fall of 1966. His basic training was at Fort Bliss, Texas and received an expert in rifles and was trained as a radar operator. After basic training, he was stationed in Fort Sill for a few months. Their daughter, Kathleen, was born in April, 1967 while he was at Fort Sill, but she only lived 5 ½ weeks. Around October of that year he was sent to Hanau, Germany and Dolores joined him in early December. They lived in a one-room apartment on the third floor of a building within the German economy. Can you imagine how surprised Dolores was when he announced that they would be having 6 soldiers there in their tiny apartment for Christmas Dinner.
Living in another country was a great experience for the two of them and they have had many fond memories of their time there. Dolores came home in February, 1969 and Brian was born in early May but, because of complications, was premature. After receiving a telegram from the Red Cross saying Mother and Son were in serious condition but expected to live, his commander allowed him to catch a military hop plane back to the United States. He actually got back to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and saw Brian before Dolores got to see Brian. The Army transferred him back to Fort Sill where he finished out his 3 years of service.
They moved back to Oklahoma City after he was discharged from the Army and he went back to work at Fred Jones Manufacturing because during this time the companies were required to rehire the men that were drafted and had to leave their job. After a few months, he started looking for a better job and was hired at R. K. Black, Inc. as a service repairman for their background music and copy machines. He worked for R. K. Black, Inc. for about 7-8 years and during this time he attended night classes at OSU Tech in OKC where he earned his associate degree in Electronical Technology. He and Dolores made lifelong friends at R. K. Black, Inc.
Because his father had Alzheimer ’s disease and needed help on the farm, Roy Gene accepted a job at the 3M Company in the Fall of 1978 so that he could help his dad on the weekends. Roy continued working at the same job there in the maintenance department servicing and calibrating the machinery for about 34 years but the company changed names several times. Everyone at 3M seemed to know him, along with all the other maintenance personnel and he had many friends and acquaintances there.
He and Dolores were active in their children’s lives during their school years helping with Cub Scouts, Soccer, and even driving them to BMX races. He taught his sons that they needed to work to earn their own money and should always work hard and always do their best.
Roy Gene loved his family. Max was able to spend a lot of time with his grandparents during summer breaks and spring and fall breaks. He and Pawpaw were able to do a lot of things together such as learning to fish, shoot his BB gun and use a bow and arrow. I’m sure Max will have a lot of fond memories of Pawpaw. He also loved little Emily. You could see the love in his face when held her and she loved her Pawpaw too.
Roy Gene also loved the rest of the family. He and Kyle Ray, being the two youngest siblings, did a lot of things together on the farm. And he loved it when all the families got together when the children were small. He always looked up to his big brother, Calvin. And spent a lot of time with Johnny before his death.
And he loved the Colwell clan! The Colwell’s have all been really close throughout the years and he was the first “inlaw” and Melba followed a month later. He loved all those Colwell get-togethers which was about every other week while our children were small.
Please know that although his mind was fading, he knew your faces. He was a really friendly person, even as his disease was taking over; He was able to cover up his problem for a long time. He’d just shake hands and say “Well Hello” to every man he met. We’d walk through Wal-Mart, and he’d just shake all the men’s hands and say “Well Hello”. Sometimes (actually many times), they’d have this expression on their face of “Who are You?” And now, I’m sure he is up in heaven and shaking hands and saying “Well Hello” and they all say, “Well Hello, Roy Gene”!
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