Mildred L. Willis, 92, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 16, 2016, surrounded by her family. She is reunited in Heaven with her loving husband, John W. Willis. Services will be held on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 10:00AM at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church with Monsignor James Bridges.Mildred, or “Millie” as she was warmly known, was born on October 25, 1923 in Manhattan, NY. Her mother, Rose Cutolo, raised her in Brooklyn, NY where they lived with her grandmother, aunts, and lots of extended family. This dark-haired, dark-eyed Italian beauty met her husband John, her “Jack”, while skating in Manhattan. They were married on June 12, 1946 and shared 70 blessed years together. It is unmistakably clear that they couldn’t live without each other as John’s passing was less than 4 months ago. They are together again in eternal happiness.Growing up surrounded by family made Millie very accustomed to full houses. She and John filled their own house with 7 children which they raised in New York, and then made a permanent move to John’s beloved Texas in 1973. Millie had plenty of mouths to feed, but never let a soul leave her home on an empty stomach. She had an extraordinary knack for making others feel welcome and special. Holidays were a big deal in the Willis household, but Millie especially loved celebrating Christmas with her family. Every Christmas Eve, the family would walk in to piles and piles of gifts that grew to cover her entire living room floor. She loved showering her children, grandchildren, and eventually great-grandchildren with love and treats.Millie was known for her love of desserts, particularly chocolate, and all things Irish. You could stop by her house on any given day and you always had a seat at her table, a nice cold drink to accompany some cookies, and worthwhile conversation. Millie worked at JC Penney in Midland for many years. Using her friendly charm, she became the application queen of the store. After retiring, she enjoyed spending her days brushing up on her politics or watching classic movies and television shows. She was a member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Church. Millie’s greatest joy was being with her family, and the gatherings will never be the same without her. She was a beautiful soul, inside and out, and her energetic, gracious, and caring spirit will be immeasurably missed.Millie is survived by her son, Drey Willis (Candy) of Melbourne, FL; son, David Willis of Midland; daughter, Janet Chirico(John) of Barnegat, NJ; daughter Donna Daniel (David) of Keller, TX; son, Chris Willis of Midland; daughter, Susan Carter (Bill) of Midland; daughter, Sharon Baier (John) of Bel Air, MD; 15 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. ,
