Feb. 27, 1920 – Feb. 29. 2008
Helen Della (Herndon) Willis, 88, of Swink, Okla., died Feb. 29, 2008.
She was born Feb. 27, 1920 near Wright City, Okla., the daughter of John C. Herndon and Isabel Ella (James) Herndon. She grew up in McCurtain County and lived there until 1952, when she moved to Oregon, where she lived until 2006 until she moved back to McCurtain County.
She graduated from Chilocco Indian Academy. Mrs. Willis loved to read, crochet, garden and spend time with her family. She was very proud of her Choctaw heritage.
She met her husband, Orville E. Willis and they were married April 24, 1940 in Idabel, Okla.
Mrs. Willis is survived by her son, Daniel Allen Willis; two daughters, Jerilyn Kay Luna and Myra Isabel Murney, and son-in-law Jerry Murney; 11 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and many, many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a son, Jerome Willis; a brother, Calvin Herndon; and four sisters, Beulah Culp, Janey Snapp, Lona Snow and Rose Krieger.
Funeral services were held March 3 in Valliant, Okla. Interment was at Gilliland Cemetery in Sweet Home.
Miller & Miller Funeral Home of Valliant and Sweet Home Funeral Chapel are handling the arrangements.