Frieda Cathey-Willis (Nanny), age 86, of Columbia, MO passed away peacefully from natural causes on December 1, 2011 in Tomball, TX where she had resided with her daughter. Frieda was born on 10/20/1925 in Wheeler, Kansas to George W. and Sadie Cathey . She was one of 6 children. Her family moved to Columbia in 1937. She married Dardin Leon Willis in 1947 in Columbia, Missouri. A 1943 graduate of Hickman High School, she dedicated her life to her husband and raising her children and grandchildren. She worked in the kitchen at Hickman High School as well as Parkade Elementary School and Mill Creek Elementary School where she touched the lives of hundreds of local children. In her spare time she loved to bake cookies and anything else sweet. She loved to read and do crafts. She was an excellent painter and seamstress. She enjoyed canning her own food and cooking for her family and extended family. She was a long time member of Christian Chapel in Columbia, MO and most recently Victory Christian Center, Houston, TX. She is survived by her sister, Vinita Moreau (Columbia, MO), daughter Charlene Mendenhall (Tomball, TX), son Gary Willis and daughter in-law Leslie Rose (Columbia, MO), grandchildren Brandon Willis (Columbia, MO), Courtney Daniel Fayrweather (Houston, TX), Damon Willis (Fort Worth, TX), Rob Daniel (Iowa) and Mark Daniel (Alabama). Great-Grandchildren: Emma Willis, Audra Willis (Columbia, Mo) and Joy Fayrweather, Will Fayrweather and Kate Fayrweather (Houston, TX). She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Sadie Cathey, her husband, Dardin Leon Willis (1982), and sisters, Jewel Cannon, Beulah Lober, June Hall and Rowena Baumgartner.
Services will be held at 2:00 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011, at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia, MO, with a visitation beginning at 1:00 pm until the time of service. Thank You to everyone who has sent their condolences to our family during this time. As Nanny would tell us when things were tough "This too shall pass."