Henrietta Willis, 87, of Waco, passed away Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, at St. Catherine's Center. Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Wilkerson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home followed by graveside interment at Oakwood Cemetery with Pastors Wemberly and Williams officiating. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. A Celebration of Life will be 3 p.m. following the graveside services on the McLennan Community College campus.
Henrietta was born in Ross, Texas, to Fred and Elenora Blaschke. She attended Ross and West schools, graduating from West High School in 1938, and later attended Draughn's Business College in Dallas. She was a member of the McLennan County Championship basketball team at Ross, and of the State Champion team and Tri-State Guard at West High School from 1934 to 1938. Henrietta was employed by the U.S. Post Office and local defense munitions plant during World War II. During this time she met Rudy Willis, her boarding house romance and love of her life. They were married Dec. 2, 1945, at the Evangelical and Reform Church of Waco.
She spent the remainder of her life in Waco, where she was active in church, school and community, devoting innumerable hours in her boys' classrooms. She was an early member of Herring Avenue United Methodist Church and, after it closed, Lake Shore United Methodist Church. She loved having parties and gatherings for her family and friends, people in general, antiques, collectibles, pictures, cooking, dancing, writing poetry and ancestry. But without a doubt her greatest pride was in being the mother of three sons. She also carried on her Dad's special love of country and took great pride in her family's 81 years (and still counting) of military service. Henrietta treasured her family and friends and took every opportunity to rekindle those ties. One of her last wishes was that we have a "good celebration, full of laughter and fun in her honor, at that new place at MCC."
Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband, Rudy Willis; parents, Fred and Elenora Blaschke; and sisters, Ellen Gregory and Thelma Grones.
She is survived by sons, Gary Willis and wife, Lesley, of Waco, David Willis, of Austin, and Randy Willis and wife, Irene, of Dallas; grandchildren, Stephen Willis and wife, Patty, of Norfolk, Va., Keima Zapata and husband, Jose, Derek Willis and wife, Sherri, of Gulfport, Miss., Meghan Willis, of Dallas, Brittany Willis, of Waco, and Erin Willis, of Dallas; seven great-grandchildren; an older sister, Frieda Cypert, of Duncanville; sister-in-law, Doris Frizzell, of Springfield, Ill.; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and other relatives; and friends who will dearly miss her.
The family wishes to thank the many people, staff and residents, of St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine's Centers as well as Providence Hospice, who have helped look after our mother and grandma so lovingly for the last 11 years.
In lieu of flowers, Henrietta asks that donations be made to Lake Shore United Methodist Church or Providence Park.
WT: 2/9/2009...TA3
Henrietta was born in Ross, Texas, to Fred and Elenora Blaschke. She attended Ross and West schools, graduating from West High School in 1938, and later attended Draughn's Business College in Dallas. She was a member of the McLennan County Championship basketball team at Ross, and of the State Champion team and Tri-State Guard at West High School from 1934 to 1938. Henrietta was employed by the U.S. Post Office and local defense munitions plant during World War II. During this time she met Rudy Willis, her boarding house romance and love of her life. They were married Dec. 2, 1945, at the Evangelical and Reform Church of Waco.
She spent the remainder of her life in Waco, where she was active in church, school and community, devoting innumerable hours in her boys' classrooms. She was an early member of Herring Avenue United Methodist Church and, after it closed, Lake Shore United Methodist Church. She loved having parties and gatherings for her family and friends, people in general, antiques, collectibles, pictures, cooking, dancing, writing poetry and ancestry. But without a doubt her greatest pride was in being the mother of three sons. She also carried on her Dad's special love of country and took great pride in her family's 81 years (and still counting) of military service. Henrietta treasured her family and friends and took every opportunity to rekindle those ties. One of her last wishes was that we have a "good celebration, full of laughter and fun in her honor, at that new place at MCC."
Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband, Rudy Willis; parents, Fred and Elenora Blaschke; and sisters, Ellen Gregory and Thelma Grones.
She is survived by sons, Gary Willis and wife, Lesley, of Waco, David Willis, of Austin, and Randy Willis and wife, Irene, of Dallas; grandchildren, Stephen Willis and wife, Patty, of Norfolk, Va., Keima Zapata and husband, Jose, Derek Willis and wife, Sherri, of Gulfport, Miss., Meghan Willis, of Dallas, Brittany Willis, of Waco, and Erin Willis, of Dallas; seven great-grandchildren; an older sister, Frieda Cypert, of Duncanville; sister-in-law, Doris Frizzell, of Springfield, Ill.; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and other relatives; and friends who will dearly miss her.
The family wishes to thank the many people, staff and residents, of St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine's Centers as well as Providence Hospice, who have helped look after our mother and grandma so lovingly for the last 11 years.
In lieu of flowers, Henrietta asks that donations be made to Lake Shore United Methodist Church or Providence Park.
WT: 2/9/2009...TA3
Henrietta Willis, 87, of Waco, passed away Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, at St. Catherine's Center. Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Wilkerson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home followed by graveside interment at Oakwood Cemetery with Pastors Wemberly and Williams officiating. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. A Celebration of Life will be 3 p.m. following the graveside services on the McLennan Community College campus.
Henrietta was born in Ross, Texas, to Fred and Elenora Blaschke. She attended Ross and West schools, graduating from West High School in 1938, and later attended Draughn's Business College in Dallas. She was a member of the McLennan County Championship basketball team at Ross, and of the State Champion team and Tri-State Guard at West High School from 1934 to 1938. Henrietta was employed by the U.S. Post Office and local defense munitions plant during World War II. During this time she met Rudy Willis, her boarding house romance and love of her life. They were married Dec. 2, 1945, at the Evangelical and Reform Church of Waco.
She spent the remainder of her life in Waco, where she was active in church, school and community, devoting innumerable hours in her boys' classrooms. She was an early member of Herring Avenue United Methodist Church and, after it closed, Lake Shore United Methodist Church. She loved having parties and gatherings for her family and friends, people in general, antiques, collectibles, pictures, cooking, dancing, writing poetry and ancestry. But without a doubt her greatest pride was in being the mother of three sons. She also carried on her Dad's special love of country and took great pride in her family's 81 years (and still counting) of military service. Henrietta treasured her family and friends and took every opportunity to rekindle those ties. One of her last wishes was that we have a "good celebration, full of laughter and fun in her honor, at that new place at MCC."
Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband, Rudy Willis; parents, Fred and Elenora Blaschke; and sisters, Ellen Gregory and Thelma Grones.
She is survived by sons, Gary Willis and wife, Lesley, of Waco, David Willis, of Austin, and Randy Willis and wife, Irene, of Dallas; grandchildren, Stephen Willis and wife, Patty, of Norfolk, Va., Keima Zapata and husband, Jose, Derek Willis and wife, Sherri, of Gulfport, Miss., Meghan Willis, of Dallas, Brittany Willis, of Waco, and Erin Willis, of Dallas; seven great-grandchildren; an older sister, Frieda Cypert, of Duncanville; sister-in-law, Doris Frizzell, of Springfield, Ill.; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and other relatives; and friends who will dearly miss her.
The family wishes to thank the many people, staff and residents, of St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine's Centers as well as Providence Hospice, who have helped look after our mother and grandma so lovingly for the last 11 years.
In lieu of flowers, Henrietta asks that donations be made to Lake Shore United Methodist Church or Providence Park.
WT: 2/9/2009...TA3
Henrietta was born in Ross, Texas, to Fred and Elenora Blaschke. She attended Ross and West schools, graduating from West High School in 1938, and later attended Draughn's Business College in Dallas. She was a member of the McLennan County Championship basketball team at Ross, and of the State Champion team and Tri-State Guard at West High School from 1934 to 1938. Henrietta was employed by the U.S. Post Office and local defense munitions plant during World War II. During this time she met Rudy Willis, her boarding house romance and love of her life. They were married Dec. 2, 1945, at the Evangelical and Reform Church of Waco.
She spent the remainder of her life in Waco, where she was active in church, school and community, devoting innumerable hours in her boys' classrooms. She was an early member of Herring Avenue United Methodist Church and, after it closed, Lake Shore United Methodist Church. She loved having parties and gatherings for her family and friends, people in general, antiques, collectibles, pictures, cooking, dancing, writing poetry and ancestry. But without a doubt her greatest pride was in being the mother of three sons. She also carried on her Dad's special love of country and took great pride in her family's 81 years (and still counting) of military service. Henrietta treasured her family and friends and took every opportunity to rekindle those ties. One of her last wishes was that we have a "good celebration, full of laughter and fun in her honor, at that new place at MCC."
Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband, Rudy Willis; parents, Fred and Elenora Blaschke; and sisters, Ellen Gregory and Thelma Grones.
She is survived by sons, Gary Willis and wife, Lesley, of Waco, David Willis, of Austin, and Randy Willis and wife, Irene, of Dallas; grandchildren, Stephen Willis and wife, Patty, of Norfolk, Va., Keima Zapata and husband, Jose, Derek Willis and wife, Sherri, of Gulfport, Miss., Meghan Willis, of Dallas, Brittany Willis, of Waco, and Erin Willis, of Dallas; seven great-grandchildren; an older sister, Frieda Cypert, of Duncanville; sister-in-law, Doris Frizzell, of Springfield, Ill.; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and other relatives; and friends who will dearly miss her.
The family wishes to thank the many people, staff and residents, of St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine's Centers as well as Providence Hospice, who have helped look after our mother and grandma so lovingly for the last 11 years.
In lieu of flowers, Henrietta asks that donations be made to Lake Shore United Methodist Church or Providence Park.
WT: 2/9/2009...TA3
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