Obituary of William Willis

William Lamar Willis was born on July 13, 1957 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the son of the late Ray Y. Willis and Margaret (Hicks) Willis. William moved with his family to Monroe in 1966 where he attended Jefferson Schools and graduated with the class of 1975. Bill, as his friends called him, was married in 1981 and from this union had three children. Bill was a talented welder. He was a skilled member of Local 671 Plumbers and Pipefitters for more than thirty-two years. Bill because of his skill was often called upon to complete difficult projects. He retired in 2007. On October 15, 2011, he married Lisa (Loope) Michaud in Toledo. Bill had a lively personality making friends with anyone who had the privilege of meeting him. He was very outgoing and the life of the party. Bill had a knack for making others feel comfortable. It was probably connected to his passion for always having a good time. Bill was quite fond of music, loved to karaoke whenever he could, and enjoyed playing his guitar. As a young man, Bill enjoyed running track and cross country. He later enjoyed the challenges of golf and camaraderie of softball. He was an avid pet lover; especially of his big dogs. William "Bill" Lamar Willis, age 57 of Monroe, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, September 5, 2014 at his home. His passing was preceded by his father: Ray Y. Willis in 1983. To cherish his memory, Bill leaves his wife of three years, Lisa (Loope) Michaud; his mother: Margaret (Hicks) Willis; three children: Jennifer Willis of Saline, Jacqueline Willis of North Carolina and Nathan Willis of Monroe; step daughter: Kristy Michaud; two brothers: James "Steve" (Beth) Willis of Georgia and Ray (Karan) Willis Jr. of New Jersey; two sisters: Karen (Bob) Price of South Carolina and Melinda (Brian) Kohler of Newport; and four grandchildren: Brooklyn, Breanna, Bella Ann, and Baylee. Friends may gather on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 from 5:00pm until 7:00pm at Merkle Funeral Service, 2442 North Monroe Street (734) 384-5185. A Celebration of His Life will follow at 7:00pm with Pastor Roy Southerland of Monroe Missionary Baptist Church officiating. Cremation will take place through Southern Michigan Services in Livonia Online guests may leave words of inspiration and comfort, share a photo, or make a donation by visiting www.merklefs.com and then selecting the Online Tributes page.