Alta Clement Willis, 96, of Mesa, AZ died peacefully March 23, 2018. Alta, daughter of Lester Elden and Emily Maud Clement, wife of Glade Roundy Willis, passed away at the Banner Baywood hospital in Mesa, AZ after a sudden onset of pneumonia.
She is survived by one son Carl (Paulette Storrs) Willis, and four daughters Diane (Frank) DeCesare, Joyce (KC-deceased) Bastian, Mary (Robert) Watkins, Janet Willis, and daughter-in-law Karen Thompson Willis. She is also survived by 29 grandchildren, 76 great-grandchildren, one brother, Lee Clement, and two sisters, Pearl Nichols and Dora Holbrook. She was preceded in death by her husband, Glade Roundy Willis and son Glade Randy Willis.
Alta was born and raised in Mesa Arizona by her beloved parents. She truly enjoyed interacting with her siblings Mary, Margaret, Zelda, Elvin, Lee, Pearl, Dora, Donald, Heber, and Nione. She graduated from Mesa High School in 1939. She married Glade in the Mesa, Arizona Temple on May 11, 1942. They served together in the Mesa Arizona temple as ordinance worker for many years. They also served on a mission in the Dallas, Texas Temple mission from July 1985 to July 1986. Throughout her life she also served faithfully in the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society organizations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had a strong testimony of Jesus Christ, the power of prayer, and keeping the commandments.
Alta was beloved not only by her posterity, but every life she touched. She lived simply, devoting her life to her family; but that simplicity added up to a giant legacy. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. A viewing will be held at Bunker’s Garden Chapel, 33 North Centennial Way, from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28th. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. at the LDS Greenfield Park Ward at 532 South Greenfield Rd, Mesa on Thursday, March 29th, with a viewing prior to the services from 10-10:45 a.m.
Mary, thinking of you and prayers for you and yours. What a terrific lady with so many who loved her
Alta will be missed by all!! I never remember seeing her without a smile on her face. She was one of my many Great Aunts.
Truly she was the sweetest, most gentle, loving woman. Her love and kindness had a great reach to dtaw those outside her family into the very heart of it. I see where her beautiful daughters get their compassion and love for others from. Mary, thank you sharing your precious mom and thank you for blessing my life since the day we became friends. My heartfelt sympathies goes out to the whole Willis family. How wonderful it is to see her legacy live on through your beautiful lives. My love to all of you
Love,
Margo Erickson
She was such a lovely, gentle woman. Her love and kindness reached into the hearts of those of us outside her family and drew us in right into the middle of it. It’s easy to see her very best qualities in the lives of her beautiful daughters. Mary, thank you for sharing her with me. You have been an incredible gift in my life since we first became friends. My love to the entire Willis family. May her legacy live on in your beautiful lives.
I always loved to see this beautiful aunt with her gentle smile and the look of love on her face. She will be so missed but I know many loved ones are welcoming her home.
To the family, my heartfelt condolences for your loss of your loved one. As you cope with your loss, may you find comfort in knowing that God promises to put an end to all the things that have plagued mankind for centuries including pain and death (Revelation 21:3,4). May these promises from God’s word, the Bible give you comfort now and real hope for the future. My deepest sympathy.
We loved Sister Willis. She was one of the kindest, gentlest and most loving woman we’ve have known. She was always quick to smile and had a keen wit. She was easy to love because she made us feel loved first. We will miss the “Prettiest Willis” in the ward that used to sit in the pew in front us.
Our condolences go out to her family. We would tell you that Alta is not gone, she is home.
Love,
Greg and Andrea Willis
My deep condolences to the Willis family,
I was really touched by the loss of your loved one. When a precious loved one falls asleep in death, it brings to mind God’s precious son Jesus. It is comforting to note how he viewed death. I would like to share it with you from the gift that the Most High God has given to each & everyone of us. Yes, His written word the Bible. In the Book of John chapter 11 verses 11-14 please, notice that Jesus viewed death as one Sleeping. He viewed death in such a comforting way. And, the Most High God promises that we can have the opportunity to see our loved ones again in perfect health (Psalms 83:18, Acts 24:15, & Isaiah 33:24). He even says where: Psalms 37:11 and for how long Psalms 37:29). I really hope that these promises were as comforting to you as they were to us when our daughter died and also when my precious husband of 50 years fell asleep in death due to cancer. I truly understand the pain that comes from losing someone so precious to us.
Written to you in deep sympathy,
Sissy