Reba Juanita (Booker) Willingham

Obituary information

https://issuu.com/spiritualgiftsdesigns/docs/reba  

https://issuu.com/spiritualgiftsdesigns/docs/reba

Reba Juanita Willingham was born to the union of the late William and Ora Ragland Booker on August 30, 1929, in Springdale, MS. She was the firstborn of eleven children. She attended Springdale Methodist Church every Sunday except one where she would attend North Hopewell Church. She professed a hope in Christ at age 13 and united with North Hopewell MB Church in Taylor, MS. She received her education at Springdale School and later attended the Taylor Vocational School. She was united in holy matrimony to the late James Wesley Willingham in 1948, and to this union four children were born. She moved her membership to Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church after marriage where she served on the Usher Ministry, with many years as the President of the Usher Ministry. She also served on the Deaconess Ministry, the Kitchen Ministry, the Mothers Ministry, and the Mission Ministry. She was a dedicated and true Christian who, even after her health failed, still loved and supported her church spiritually and financially. She loved God, family and friends. She enjoyed raising her children and spending quality time with her beautiful grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also loved visiting and talking to all of her brothers. She touched the lives of numerous people both within and outside the community, always showing sincere love with a heart full of grace and compassion. She opened her heart and home to all. She enjoyed cooking, canning, sewing, gardening, and babysitting. Despite being in a wheelchair, she never allowed it to hinder her passion for cooking and caring for her beautiful "porch" gardens. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; four brothers: Walter Booker, Thomas Booker, Hilria Booker and James Booker; two sisters: Yvonne Britt and Esther (Ray) Edwards; a son-in-law: Carl Polk; a grandson: Rico Polk; seven brother-in-laws: (Robert Jr, Ray, Eugene, Hubert, CW, Murray, Roland); and five sister-in-laws: (Emma, Cenie, Minnie, Fannie, and Georgia). Reba had a loving, close-knit family. She leaves to treasure her loving memory: two daughters: Ora Polk and Valerie (Elzie) Morgan; two sons, Howard Willingham and William Willingham; two special daughters: Ruby (Clifton) Dandridge and Vickie Frierson Adams; seven grandchildren: LaShunda Willingham, Rochelle (Eddie) Southern, Reggie Polk, Ricardo (Zainora) Polk, Kimberly (Yohance) Myles, Brandon (Dr. Donmonique) Morgan, and Ryan (Kimberly) Willingham; nineteen great-grandchildren: Morgan, Jalen, Markayla, Jaida, Julia, Taniya, Ethan, Ryan, Parker, Brandon, Bella, Blake, Jackson, Brock, Sky, Maxwell, Austin, Gracie, and Jude; six special grandchildren: Randy (Yulanda) Dandridge, Bernard and Christina Dandridge, Ben Adams, LaTonya Brown and Jami Gee; four brothers, Willie (Barbara) Booker, David (Bessie) Booker, Donald Booker, George (Naomi) Booker; seven sister-in-laws: Edna Booker, Rosie Booker, Eva Newton, Maggie Keller, Shirley Booker, Maudine Willingham and Alice Carter; one brother-inlaw: Edward Willingham; two uncles: Hiram (Ola) Ragland and Eugene (Shirley) Ragland; special friends: Pat Cathy, Olia Nunley, Martha Booker, Mae White, Effie Burt, and Helen Gooch; along with an abundance of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.