My Father
Julian Everette Willis
Born: October 5, 1919 Died: June 13, 1995
by Randy Willis
http://www.randywillis.org
randywillis@ev1.net
Julian Everette Willis was my father. He was the son of Randall Lee
Willis (whom I was named after) and Lillie Gertrude Hanks Willis. He
married my mother, Ruth Lawson Willis (b. Apr. 25, 1913; d. Oct. 13,
1994) on June 26, 1948, in Long Leaf, Louisiana. Both are buried at
Butter Cemetery near Forest Hill, Louisiana. Daddy had two brothers:
Howard and Herman Willis. My mother, Ruth Lawson Willis, was the
daughter of Robert Severin Lawson (b. Mar. 25, 1868; d. 1941) and Nina
Ruth Hanks Lawson (b. Oct. 27, 1891; d. July 16, 1962).
Daddy fought in W.W.II., in the U.S. Army Air Forces (Also
affectionately referred to as the Army Air Corps. The separated Air
Force was established in 1947), and was on Iwo Jima at he end of the
war. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps after hearing of his first
cousin and close friend, Robert K. "Bobby" Willis Jr.'s death on the
USS Arizona December 7, 1941. Daddy said he was the nicest person he
ever knew.
Robert K. "Bobby" Willis Jr. was the first casualty from Rapides
Parish, Louisiana in World War II. The American Legion Post in
Pineville, Louisiana (his last hometown) was named the Robert K.
"Bobby" Willis Jr. Post in honor of his service and duty to his
country. (This American Legion Post no longer exists). He is entombed
in the USS Arizona at the bottom of Pearl Harbor. He was the first
casualty from Rapides Parish, Louisiana in World War II.
After the war daddy married my mother, drove a bus for Continental
Trailways in Alexandria, Louisiana and played steel guitar.
One day, my half-sister Johnnie Ruth (who is 16-years-older than me)
brought her young beau to our home, located near Long Leaf, Louisiana
to meet our parents. His name was Jimmy Day. He saw my dad practicing
the steel and asked him to teach him how to play. Daddy taught Jimmy
how to tune and play the steel guitar, and he and another local steel
player, by the name of Harold Whatley, taught Jimmy his first licks on
the steel. My dad and Jimmy both played in the local Happy McNichol's
band. The first venue that they both played was The Wigwam. Jimmy later
played for Web Pierce, Hank Williams, Sr., Elvis, Pasty Cline, Ray
Price, Willie Nelson and others. After moving to Alabama, Jimmy talked
his new best friend, Floyd Cramer, into learning the piano (Jimmy told
him he needed to choose an instrument other than the steel).
Daddy and mother moved to Clute, Texas, from Long Leaf, in 1954, so
daddy could work at Dow Chemical. He also raised horses, mules, and
cows. We moved to Angleton, Texas in 1960. We lived in the middle of
several rice fields between Angleton and Danbury on the Old Danbury
Road.
Daddy had a very strong work ethic. He always rose before sunrise and
worked late. He wasn't much on going to church, but had strong values
and beliefs. He believed in God but he wasn't much for people that used
that belief as some type of banner for political or personal gain. He
was a staunch Democrat and extremely opinionated in politics. (As a
conservative, I avoided political discussions with him at all cost). He
was a champion of equals rights for both minorities and women way
before those beliefs were in vogue.
He was also, Trail Boss for many years of the Brazoria County Trail
Ride (see photo below) and was a board member of the Brazoria County
Fair and Rodeo Association. He was a major union leader at Dow Chemical
and later Business Agent for the Operating Engineers. He was a leader
and many people said he reminded them of a real life John Wayne. He was
very patriotic and loved to hunt and fish. He loved football and would
call me after the Dallas Cowboys games too discuss the game. He taught
manners to his kids and respect for their elders and despised off-color
language, especially around women. He had a lot of friends and was
respected by most that knew him. He was the real deal; a man's man.
Julian Everette Willis' Photos
