The Reverend Jimmie L. Willis

THE REVEREND JIMMIE L. WILLIS The Reverend Jimmie L. Willis, of LaGrange, died Sunday, May 9, 2010, at Hospice LaGrange. The funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 11, at New Hope Baptist Church in LaGrange. The Rev. Mike Hornsby, the Rev. Max Todd, and the Rev. Bob Ledlow will officiate, with entombment at Shadowlawn Mausoleum. Born July 17, 1934, in Uniontown, AL, Mr. Willis was the son of the late Emmett Houston Willis and Ada Love Willis, and was raised by his uncle and aunt, the late Mr. and Mrs. Ottie Boone Willis, Sr. He was a graduate of Howard College, received his Masters of Divinity from New Orleans Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Divinity from Universal Bible Institute. He was a lifetime minister of the Southern Baptist faith and served the following pastorates: Old Town Creek Baptist and Harmony Baptist, both in Moulton, AL; Jayess Baptist, Jayess, MS; Harmony Baptist, Hazelhurst, MS; Eastside Baptist, Marianna, FL; Ariton Baptist, Ariton, AL; Franklin Rd. Baptist, LaGrange; Flintstone Baptist, Flintstone, GA; Southwest LaGrange Baptist, LaGrange; and served interim pastorates at Grantville Baptist, Hunter Rd. Baptist, Glenn Baptist and Franklin Rd. Baptist. In addition, he taught junior high math and science at Lawrence Co. High School in Moulton, Al. from April 1957-May 1958, and also taught for a number of years in the Georgia Baptist Extension Program of Mercer University. Survivors include his wife, Kathleen Holbrook Willis of LaGrange; daughters and sons in-law, Clara and Bob Byrd of Lebanon, TN, Libby and Barry Gilley of Flintstone, Kathy and Steve Carroll of Acworth, Wendy and Philip Parmer of LaGrange, and Regina and Bachir Simma of Dacula; sisters, Linnie Hoch of Memphis, TN, Ola Knox of Oskaloosa, IA, Mary Sue Bevis and Hazel Holt, both of Florence, AL; brothers, Robert Willis and A.B. Willis, both of Florence; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers and sisters, Henry Willis, Monie Willis, Ruth Ward, Naomi Willis, Norma Hill, Gilbert Willis; and cousins, George Willis, Douglas Willis, Louise Hammond, Carrie Johnson, Ottie Boone Willis, Jr., Buford Willis. Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home of Hogansville is in charge of arrangements. Visitation: from 6 until 9 Monday night, May 10th, at New Hope Baptist Church in LaGrange Services: 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 11th, at New Hope Baptist Church in LaGrange Interment: Shadowlawn Mausoleum in LaGrange