John Calvin Willey passed away on August 29, 2021 after a courageous fight at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Lake Charles, Louisiana. John was 60 years old. Services, under the direction of, Dorman Funeral Home, will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 4, 2021, at the Cowboy Church in Orange, Texas. Visitation for family and friends will be held from 10:00 AM until service time. Pastor Dale Lee will be officiating services. Interment will follow services at, Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville, Texas.
John was born September 15, 1960 in Orange, Texas. His parents Lamurel and Henry Lee Willey, deceased. He lived his entire life in the Orange, Texas area. Graduate class of 1979 from Little Cypress. John was a hard worker for his family and enjoyed working RTP in Orange. He was a quiet man with a huge heart and was always lending a hand to help others. In the aftermath of storms, John was helping friends with their damaged homes or cutting up felled trees, or replacing the screens on the windows of an elderly gentleman’s home so he could “get a breeze through the house”.
His greatest joy was watching his son, Zach, show livestock in events all over Texas. John would carry Zach on his shoulders out to the barn long before Zach could walk, teaching him about all the farm animals. He loved being around the kids in FFA and 4-H helping them with their show animals or just sitting around swapping stories. He had a knack for raising champion meat pen New Zealand and California rabbits. People came from miles to get show rabbits. He just loved being involved and around agriculture in general. John and his wife Pamela raised beautiful vegetable gardens every year and shared with friends and neighbors their bounty. John grew cantaloupes the size of volleyballs that tasted like candy. He would boast about his sixty-pound watermelons to any that would listen when talking about gardens. John enjoyed fishing and playing golf in his spare time. In his early years he enjoyed coon hunting with his cousin, Marvin, and his Uncle, Wayne Willey.
John is preceded in death by his parents, Lamuel and Henry Lee Willey, as well as his sister, Carolynett Willey Kolb.
John is survived by his wife Pamela of 26 years; son, Zachary and wife Emileigh Willy of Gladewater, TX; brother, Hersal and wife Rhonda of Mauriceville, TX; brother, Kevin of Silsbee, TX; sister, Nelwyn of Mauriceville, TX, and numerous nieces and nephews.
John is and will be missed by many. The family would like to thank the hardworking nurses at St. Patrick’s Hospital who never gave up on John. We are grateful to your dedication and heart.
I would also like to thank Dr. Pomonis for his guidance, advice, and comforting words through this journey. To all our friends and family and to John’s work family for the prayers, the daily texts and calls we are grateful.
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