Robert Lee Willis Jr.

Robert L “Bob” Willis Jr of Houston Texas passed away at Kindred Hospital on Monday September 5, 2022. He was born in Charlotte, NC on March 19, 1943 to Robert Lee and Hilda Killie Willis of Lawndale, North Carolina.

Bob grew up on a farm in Belwood, North Carolina. He was active at his church and was a Boy Scout. For grades 1-11, he attended Belwood School but graduated Salutatorian with his 62 classmates from Fallston High School in 1961. He was Air Force ROTC while at NC State. He attended the Wesley Foundation meetings which is where he met his future wife, Nancy. During the summers he worked at Myrtle Beach or sold bibles for Southwestern Company. After his graduation in 1965 from NC State he was granted a one-year deferment to teach at Franklinton High School. In October of 1965, Bob married Nancy Stuart in Maine, and a year later they welcomed their son Robert Willis lll. In 1972, while stationed in Madrid Spain, they welcomed their daughter Karen. Bob was part of the U.S. Air Force from 1966 until he retired a Lt. Col. in 1988. During his time in the Air Force, he was stationed in Korea, Spain, Florida, and Holland before finishing his active-duty service in Houston Texas. He received merits for training in Air Weapons Controller, Ground Combat Training and Combat Operations Specialists. He earned many accommodations while in the Air Force including National Defense Service, Armed Forced Expeditionary Medals as well as Commendation Medals for Meritorious Service in 1985 and again in 1988.

Bob was very involved in his church and rarely said No to anyone that asked him for help. During he and Nancy’s 30 years at Airline United Methodist Church, they were involved in the Christmas project that would help numerous families each year receive gifts and food for the holidays. One passion they both poured themselves into was the military. They started Operation Coupons in 2006. This was a project where they collected coupons and sent them to overseas bases to help military families save money at the grocery store. This program still exists today under the name “Cut Ups for the Military”. He also served on the finance committee, Methodist Men and ushered many Sundays. During his many years at Cypress United Methodist Church, he helped with the Battered Woman’s Project, Local Education Group, continued the work on Operation Coupons, was a member of the Amigos lunch group (which he spoke of all the time) and helped build hundreds of bikes that were given as gifts to children at Christmas over the years.

Bob is survived by his sister Miriam Whistnant and sister Evelyn Southard and her husband Joe, his son Robert L Willis lll and his daughter Karen Porter and her husband Tony, and his grandchildren Kristin, Ryan, Cameron and Hannah.

Visitation for Bob will be held at Brookside Funeral Home-Champions at 3410 Cypress Creek Pkwy Houston, TX 77068 on September 14, 2022 from 5:00 – 8:00pm and a Memorial Service will be held at Cypress United Methodist Church at 13403 Cypress North Houston Rd. Cypress, TX 77429 on September 15, 2022 at 2:00pm with reception to follow the service. Committal service at Houston National Cemetery Monday September 19, 2022 at 10:00 am

Bob was very involved at his church and the future of the church. Those wishing to make memorial donations can send them to Cypress UMC with memo for the building fund.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.brooksidechampions.com for the Willis family.