Taylor Co., TX - Obituaries - Charles Grant "Jake" Willis, Sr.

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The Abilene Reporter-News,
March 8, 1977:

Willis services Wednesday

Services for Charles Grant (Jake) Willis, Sr., 79, 110 Merchant, pioneer oilman and former member of the Railroad Commission staff in Abilene (District 7B), will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at North's Memorial Chapel, 242 Orange.

The Rev. Roger Sidener, pastor of First Central Presbyterian Church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Masonic Cemetery.

Mr. Willis died at 10:15 a.m. Monday following an apparent heart attack.

He worked in a number of the West Texas oilfields during the 1920s. Tent cities and shanty towns that were part of the early history of the present Texas cities of Burkburnett, Big Spring, Ranger and Borger were all home to him at some time during those years.

Mr. Willis returned to Abilene and its oilfields in 1930. Later, he left oilfield work and entered the real estate business with his father, Judge T. M. Willis. He was employed by the Railroad Commission from 1942 until he retired in 1964, having worked in the RRC office for 13 years and as an engineer in the field for 10 years before his retirement.

Born Oct. 12, 1897, he was a 1917 graduate of Abilene High School and served in the Army during World War I. Following the war, he attended Hardin-Simmons University-then called Simmons College. He married Ivie Rape June 30, 1923, in Sweetwater. She died in 1975.

For three years in the 1930s, Mr. Willis was foreman of the U.S. Parks Dept. which built Abilene and Sweetwater State parks. He was a member of First Central Presbyterian Church, the Masonic Lodge, Lions Club and the American Legion.

Survivors include a son, Charles Grant Jr. of Dallas; a daughter, Dr. Margaret E. Briley of Austin; a grandson, Charles Willis III of Dallas; four granddaughters, Kathryn Riddles of Corpus Christi, Kimberly Briley of Austin, Nancy Bennett of Claude and Carol Willis of Dallas; and a sister, Neva W. Hudson of Weslaco.

The family will be at 110 Merchant.

Pallbearers will be Jim Mayfield, W. P. Tatum, J. W. Steger, Tom H. Willis, Jr., Warner Zimmerman, Todd Willis, Jr. of Waco, James North and Charlie W. Clarke.

Honorary pallbearers will be Sam Kennedy, Earnest Pitzer, E. H. Lyon, John C. Lees, K. E. Jennings, V. E. Eller, Andy Couch, Ray Wolfe, Mike Wills, and J. Karo Russell.