MARY FRANCES OWEN WILLIS, age 89, of Sikeston, died Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at Cocoa, FL.

Born August 28, 1931, in Jackson, TN, she was the daughter of the late Charles Samuel Owen and Lois Gookin Owen-Counce and the step-daughter of George Counce of Counce, TN and Corinth, MS.   She was raised in Corinth, MS and was a 1949 graduate of Corinth High School.

On November 13, 1949, at Barton, AL, she married Thurman Ray Willis, Sr.  In 1953, she and her husband moved to Corpus Christie, TX. Soon after their arrival in Corpus Christie, she became employed with Otis Engineering and Oil Well Service Company of Dallas, TX as the executive secretary to the division manager of the Corpus Christie branch.  She was elected President of the Corpus Christie (Nueces County) Democratic Women's Committee and honored to be selected as an alternate delegate to the Texas State Convention in El Paso, TX. She was also chosen to be the Nueces County Coordinator for US Senator Ralph Yarbrough.  Many people encouraged her to run for the state legislature but her family and home were more important than anything else.  She was also invited to become the only woman board member of the World Service committee of the YMCA. The Utica, NY YMCA enlisted her help with getting their auxiliary organized as well.

In 1968, after having lived there 15 years, the family left the state of Texas when her husband retired from Reynolds Aluminum after 20 years of service.  At that time, Thurman became associated with Alussie Aluminum Company of Zurich, Switzerland and the had relocated their consolidated aluminum facility in New Johnsonville, TN.  While living there, she joined the New Johnsonville Woman's Club and was elected president in 1969.  The Alussie Company built a new aluminum facility in Lake Charles, LA and the family relocated there for the start-up of the Gulf Coast.  The family resided there until 1971, at which time Thurman became employed with the Noranda Aluminum Plant at New Madrid, MO.

The bought a home and much to their surprise, Sikeston, MO became their newly adopted home. She was a member of the First Christian Church and the Sikeston Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.  Family was always central Frances and she was involved all her children's and grandchildren's many activities that included basketball, softball, track, soccer, school and church.  Frances was a member of the Sikeston Country Club and a member of the Ladies Golf Association.  Loving the game of golf so much, she was elected their tournament chair person.  She was twice named "most improved golfer".  In 1995, she served as the local coordinator of the Missouri State Women's Tournament held at the Sikeston Country Club and that same year she was elected to the Board of Directors serving nine years as the chairman of the house.   She was elected president of the Ladies Golf Association on two different occasions.  Frances also served as the chairperson for the American Cancer Society golf tournament.

In addition to her father, mother and step-father, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Thurman Ray Willis, Sr., her loving daughter, Leslie Gardner; three brothers, Neal Owen of Plano, TX; David Owen of Redding, CA and Jerry Owen of Zachary, LA; her only niece, Margaret of Zachary, LA and two nephews, Patrick Owen of Redding, CA and Gerald Owen of Wichita, KS.

Frances is survived by her three sons, Thurman Ray (Sandy) Willis, Jr. of Everette, WA; Brian Lee Willis of Cocoa, FL and David (Annie) Willis of Cape Girardeau, MO; three grandsons, Tim (Angella) Gardner of Sikeston, MO; Scott (Rachel) Gardner of Farmington, MO and Thurman Ray (Trey) Willis, III, Austin, TX; five granddaughters, Andrea Burgess of Orlando, FL; Jessica Marie Willis of Sikeston, MO; Monique "Nikki" (Ryan) Callinan of Louisiana; Jennifer (Eric) Shannon of Beaumont, TX and Ashley (Jesse) Hughes of Little Rock, AR; nine great grandchildren, Leslie Ann Willis, Mia Callinan, Killian Callinan, Willa Ann Frances Callinan, Gracelyn Davis, Nathaniel Gardner, Hayley Royal, Brandon Shanahan, Jude Shannon and Rosalie Hughes.

Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at noon, Saturday, March 20, 2021, at the McMikle Funeral Home in Sikeston.

Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Cemetery under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home of Sikeston.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com