 |
| Frankie Fay Willett |
Ms. Willett was born on August 5, 1927, in Parma, MO, to Hester James William Jackson and Freda Liza Savannah Jackson.
She graduated high school in 1944 and in October of that year married Robert G. Willett, of Perkins, MO.
She attended Southeast Missouri State Teachers College for a short time, but left Missouri in early 1946 to join Robert, who had relocated to Flint, MI, to seek employment with General Motors at Buick Motor Division.
Once settled in Flint, she took on a number of part-time jobs to finance her education. She began studies at Flint Junior College and completed her undergraduate work at Central Michigan University, earning a bachelor of science degree in June 1961. She earned her master of arts in education from the Rackham School of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in August 1968, graduating with honors.
Ms. Willett became a teacher at what is now McKinley Middle School in 1959 and enjoyed a highly respected 30-year career there, active in the Michigan Education Association, affiliated with the National Education Association, and the United Teachers of Flint.
While living in Flint, she and Robert spent many years vacationing in the Branson, MO, area, having first visited as high school sweethearts on a class trip in the early 1940s. After Robert retired from Buick on disability in 1970, they spent three months each year in Branson, camping and fishing, and built a home there in 1977, intending to someday relocate permanently. Robert died in 1979, but after her retirement in 1989 Ms. Willett became a full-time resident of the area, living there until recently, when she became incapacitated by illness.
She is survived by her two sons, Robert of Atlanta, GA, and Scott of New York City. Her siblings Eloise Jones of Keytesville, MO; Hester Barfoot of Colorado Springs, CO; and James William Jackson of the Kansas City, MO, area preceded her in death.
Ms. Willett is to be interred in Ozarks Memorial Park Cemetery, next to her husband. A graveside service is planned for 2:00 pm, Tuesday, July 26, 2016.
A visitation will begin at 1:00 pm at Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home. Flowers may be sent to Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home, 1638 E. State Hwy 76, Branson, MO.
