Funeral services were held on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Gore Spring for Loree Conley Willis, 98, of Tie Plant, who passed away peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 8, at her home.
Loree was born on Jan. 15, 1927, in Calhoun County, one of two children born to the late Charlie and the late Rosie Mays Conley. She accepted Christ at an early age in the Methodist church. She later joined the Baptist church and was baptized at Greater Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Gore Springs by the late Rev. C.H. Bland. Loree later joined New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Gore Springs where she was affectionately known to all as “Momma Loree.”
Loree liked learning. She was initially hired at what is now UMMC-Grenada in housekeeping working on the floor. She later transferred to surgery as the primary housekeeper and became an operating room nurse assistant. Some of her duties included patient transports to the operating room, central sterile processing and ordering of anesthesia supplies to name a few. She retired from UMMC-Grenada at age 77 after more than 30 years of service.
Loree married Stark Willis on Nov. 1, 1947, and they were married 49 years at the time of his death in 1997. In addition to her parents and her husband, one daughter, Dorothy, and her brother, Ervie, preceded Loree in death.
Those left to cherish Loree’s precious memory include, four sons, Jimmy (Mary) of Grenada, the Rev. Dr. James (Linnie) of Toledo, Ohio, Jerry (Deborah) of Frankfort, Ill., and Barry of Germany; two daughters, Glenda (the Rev. Tim) Brinkley of West Point and Mary (Darryl) Reed of Toledo, Ohio; bonus son, Johnny Ray Conley (Doris) of Grenada; 16 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren; 11 great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews that were closely connected and loved by their Auntie.
Loree is also survived by her Tie Plant band of angels, Mr. and Mrs. Willie Lott, David “Pop” Loggins, Ricky Loggins, Sammy Loggins and Pearlie Tidwell Beck; her longtime friend, Mrs. Mildred Hankins; her wonderful and caring home health nurses, Toriana Tidwell, Jessica Brown and Morgan Melton and Dr. Joseph Roberts and staff.
