Mrs. Joan Harrell Willis

June 9, 1944 - September 6, 2016

Mrs. Joan Vera Harrell Willis, age 72 of Aragon passed away Tuesday night, September 6, 2016. Mrs. Willis was born June 9, 1944 in Polk County, daughter of the late Herman David Harrell and the late Eva Ray Harrell Chesnut. She was a graduate of the Rockmart High School Class of 1962. After many years as a substitute teacher and parapro for the Polk School District and former employee of the Davitte Income Tax Service, she retired to care for her mother. Joan was an active member of the Piedmont Ave. Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School, sang in the church choir and loved working with the youth. She was a prayer warrior and would send cards full of stickers providing encouragement to each recipient. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Homer “Bill” Willis on August 27, 2016; sister, Lucy Thurreson; and brother, Johnny Harrell. Survivors include a daughter, Wendy Dee Willis Wallace and her husband Chris of Aragon; three sisters, Ruby Nell Hicks, Janice Westbrooks and Joyce Hulsey (twin); brother, Terry Harrell and his wife Diane; two grandchildren, Autumn Wallace and Christopher Wallace; three great-grandchildren, Wyatt Wallace, Colby Wallace and Haven Wallace; David Mixon and family, Cindy Chastain and family and Jacob Hulsey and family; two sister-in-laws, Ellen Jordan and Betty Willis. Funeral services for Mrs. Willis will be held on Friday, September 9th at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of the Freeman Harris Funeral Home with Rev. Phil Bray and Rev. Joey Davidson officiating. Interment services will follow in the family lot of the Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery with Rev. John Hooper, Jr. officiating. The following gentlemen will serve as pallbearers: Ricky Price, Bill Hicks, Tony Davidson, Scott Davidson, Dennis Harrell, Adrian Willis, John Paschal and Matt Paschal. Honorary escorts will be all nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday evening, September 8th between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. Freeman Harris Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral services for Mrs. Joan Vera Harrell Willis.