Breckinridge-Grayson-Meade County KyArchives Obituaries.....WILLIS, James Washington August 26, 1960
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Peggy Russell meemawpeg7@gmail.com August 2, 2017, 3:09 pm

Breckinridge County Herald News, Friday, September 2, 1960
Obituary  Page 1
FORMER PUBLISHER, J. W. WILLIS, DIES   (Big picture of him on the front page)

James W. WILLIS, age 87, a retired newspaper publisher, died Friday night 
(August 26, 1960), at his home in Irvington (Breckinridge County), Ky.  He was 
the son of John Owen WILLIS and Sarah Frances JOHNSON WILLIS.  Mr. WILLIS 
first worked at his chosen profession at Leitchfield in his native Grayson 
County, Ky.  As a young man he left Leitchfield, and went to Louisville 
(Jefferson County), Ky., where he worked in the House of F. C. NUNNERMACHER, 
and later at the Courier-Journal Job Printing Company, and John P. MORTON and 
Company.  He also worked on newspapers at Henderson, Ky. and Beaver Dam, Ky.

In 1915 Mr. WILLIS, in association with the late Mr. W. B. LENNON ,started 
"THE RECORD PRESS" in Hardinsburg (Breckinridge County), Ky.  They operated 
the newspaper for 3 years.  At that time, Mr. WILLIS purchased "THE IRVINGTON 
HERALD" which had begun publication only a few weeks before.  Mr. WILLIS 
published "THE IRVINGTON HERALD" from 1918 to 1945.  In November of 1945 the 
newspaper was sold to his daughter and son-in-law, George and Elizabeth WILLIS 
WILSON.  After two weeks of retirement, he returned to the profession he loved 
by assisting his son, James M. WILLIS, in the publication of the "MEADE COUNTY 
MESSENGER" at Brandenburg, Ky.  He continued his work there until his health 
began to fail a few years ago.

Mr. WILLIS was a charter member of the Irvington Rotary Club, a Steward for 
many years in the Irvington Methodist Church, a Mason, and was honored in 1948 
by being voted a life member of the Kentucky Press Association.  His biography 
appears in "A HISTORY OF KENTUCKY DEMOCRACY", and in "WHO'S WHO IN METHODISM".

Mr. WILLIS is survived by:
his wife, Mrs. Hattie MERCER WILLIS
one son:
James M. WILLIS, Publisher of "The Meade County Messenger"
one daughter: 
Elizabeth W. WILSON, Co-Publisher of "The Breckinridge County Herald-News"
his granddaughter:
Jane MARLOW WILLIS
one brother:
Carradine WILLIS, Evansville (Vanderburgh County), Indiana
one sister:
Mrs. Ivy KENDALL, Libertyville (Lake County), Illinois

The funeral services were held on Sunday from the Irvington Methodist Church, 
directed by the Alexander Funeral Home of Irvington, with burial in the Cedar 
Hill Cemetery (which is high on a hill overlooking the town of Irvington).
Pallbearers were members of the Irvington Masonic Lodge.


Breckinridge County Herald-News, Friday, September 2, 1960, Page 6
RELATIVES ATTEND WILLIS FUNERAL

Among relatives from a distance attending the funeral of J. W. WILLIS Sunday 
were:
his niece, Miss Edith WHITE  (no residence given)
his nephew, Paul WILLIS and son of Louisville, Ky.
nephews:  (on his wife's side of the family?)
Mr. and Mrs. Chester MERCER and family of Charleston, Illinois
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. MERCER and Patsy, of Nashville, Tennessee
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne WHITWORTH and family, Louisville, Ky.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene MERCER and family, St. Louis, Missouri
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene MERCER, Nashville, Tennessee
Mr. and Mrs. Earl MERCER, Decatur, Illinois
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin WHITWORTH, Louisville, Ky.

Additional Comments:
James and his wife have a tombstone.
Breckinridge County Cemetery Book, Vol. one, published in 1991:

Cedar Hill Cemetery, Irvington, Ky.
WILLIS, James Washington    1872 -- 1960  husband of Hattie MERCER
        Hattie MERCER       1886 -- 1965  wife of James Washington
Peggy Russell

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