Obituaries: Julius Luther Willis, 1934, Winn Parish, LA
Submitter: Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
Source: Winnfield News-American
Date: April 27, 1934 
**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************



Julius Luther Willis Fatally Injured When Knocked Down by Automobile Sunday
Afternoon; Funeral Services Mon. P. M.

Accident Declared to be Unavoidable by Only Eye Witness

In an attempt to dodge one car, Julius Luther Willis, age 67, was forced in
the path of another car traveling in the opposite direction and from which he
sustained fatal injuries Sunday afternoon about four thirty o'clock while he
was crossing the highway near his home on the Winnfield-Dodson route.

Mr. Willis was penning his herd of cattle, following them across the highway
when, it is believed, he saw a car approaching.  He cleared that car just in
time to become conscious of an oncoming in the opposite direction.  At this
time he jumped back in the way of the first car, was knocked down and injured
about the hips and head.  He was rushed to a local clinic where he was treated
but his injuries proved fatal about eleven o'clock Sunday night.  Mrs. Cecil
Jenkins, the granddaughter of the victim, was the only eye witness and she
stated that it was an unavoidable accident.

The driver of the car was Mrs. Ruby McKenzie Conn, Clarks, while the owner, R.
W. Lawson, his wife and daughter, of Clarks, and Mrs. Jeanes and three
children of Urania, were in the car.  They were on their way to their home
after visiting in Hodge for the day.  Mrs. Conn stopped the car and offered
assistance, even tho she was shocked ____ nerves.

Funeral services for Mr. Willis were held Monday afternoon at three-thirty
o'clock at the First Baptist Church and interment was made in the Winnfield
Cemetery with Dr. B. C. Land, pastor, assisted by Rev. Ellis Smith, pastor of
the First Methodist Church, and Rev. Alwin Stokes, pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, officiating.

Pallbearers were Sheriff Bryant Sholars, Hasson Morris, Joe T. Terrell, R. H.
Fletcher, Dudley D. Lang, and H. B. Bozeman.

Mr. Willis was born at Newport in Ward 3 of William and Jane Willis, members
of one of the largest and most influential families of that community.  In
early manhood he became a member of the Baptist Church and to which faith he
clung the remainder of his life, living a devout Christian life, as testified
to by the host of friends he made during his useful life as a church worker
and citizen.  He served as police juror from Ward 3 from 1920 to 1924, that
being the only public office to which he ever aspired.

With his wife he moved to Winnfield in November, 1923 and here he has lived
among his fellow citizens for more than ten years and by his noble life
endeared himself to all who knew him.

Mr. Willis is survived by his widow, who before her marriage to him was Miss
Theodosia Shoemaker, and four children, H. T. Willis, Herbert Willis, Mrs. D.
Jones, Winnfield, and Horace L. Willis, Pineville; three brothers, J. B.
Willis, Sikes, A. O. Willis, Jena, Harve Willis, Liddieville; two sisters,
Mrs. Ada Womack, Winnsboro, and Mrs. W. E. Chapman, Grayson.

Out of town relatives and friends attending the funeral sere Mr. and Mrs. J.
B. Willis, Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Willis, Julius Smith and son, Arthur Smith,
Grover Smith, S. Stroud, and Williams, of Sikes; Mr. and Mrs. Tim Higdon,
Georgetown, Mrs. W. D. Peters, Tullos, A. Herrington, Jena, J. Hugh Smith,
Pineville, A. O. Willis and Alan Willis, Jena, W. H. McCarty and family, Beech
Creek, C. E. Smith, Dry Prong, Mrs. H. M. Bradford, Pineville.