Rena Willis

1955 - 2020

Willis, Rena

March 1, 1955 - September 9, 2020

Our beloved Rena passed away Wednesday, September 9, 2020. Rena was born in Washington County, TN on March 1, 1955 to Jesse Jones and Blanch Gourley Jones. She ended her career at Wake Forest and had worked there for over 19 years. She worked for two different departments; her favorite was the IS (Information Systems). While there, she attended High Point University and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2005. She married Jim Willis in June 2000. Rena loved making things for people and just making them laugh. She was writing a book (dedicated to her mother, Blanch Gourley Jones) titled "The Gift of Laughter." She was asking people to contribute so she could incorporate their stories. She loved to hear and make people laugh! Rena will be greatly missed. She was preceded in death by her brother, Doug Gourley who passed away on September 3, 2019. Surviving family includes her husband , Jim Willis; her daughter, Robin Owens; son, Randall Fox; four sisters, Mary "Sue" Marley, Lori Trent, Tammy Yelton and Vonda Stout; and four brothers, Larry, Harold, Orben and Palmer Jones; two grandchildren, Jessie Wilks (Kayla) and Jacob Owens; one great-grand child, Tucker Wilks. Rena had asked to be cremated and NOT to have an "open-casket" funeral. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at United Family Church in Lewisville, NC. She loved flowers and she would prefer that people take flowers to their loved ones that have already passed away. She was always thinking of others and she had many friends all over the world! Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com.

Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel

3315 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27103