Hortense Ernestine "Tina" Willis-Cuffee

Hortense Ernestine Willis, born October 31, 1949, was the oldest of four children born to the late Bishop Levi Willis, Sr. and Mother Hortense Willis. As the daughter of a minister with country roots, she enjoyed fishing and being around animals. Tina loved living in Hickory, a section of Chesapeake, as a child, where she watched the farm activities in action.

Tina sang in the Junior Choir and served on the Junior Usher Board in the beginning of the Garden of Prayer ministry at the Oakwood and Park Avenue locations. She was strong-willed and at a young age, challenged the thinking of older church members who thought it unwise for girls to wear nylon hosiery before the age of 16.

Tina graduated from Crestwood High School. Not long afterwards, she married her first love, Freddie Williams. She worked for her father and traveled as a district manager for Willis Broadcasting for close to twenty years until health issues began to surface. Her involvement in the business and church diminished through the years, but Tina always took pride in being a 'Willis'. She slept away peacefully in her home on August 3, 2025, with Pierre, her devoted cat, at her side.

Tina was preceded in death by her parents, her brother (Bishop Levi Willis II), a nephew (Levi Willis III), seven uncles: Robert Jones, Oliver Jones, Hezekiah Jones, James Willis, Isaac Willis, Ellsworth Willis, and Lindbergh Willis; two aunts: Lauretta Jones and Mary Lee Williams; and a number of other relatives.

She leaves to remember her precious life one son, Freddie Williams Jr. of Portsmouth, VA; two grandsons: Rick Perez (Christina) and Tim Perez; nine great-grandchildren: Robert, Jason, Elisa, Liam, Sierra, Brooklyn, Sophia, Kalie, and Rico; two sisters: Christine Willis and Celestine Brown (Clyde); sister-in law, Judith W. Willis; four nephews: Steven Felton, Jr. (Michelle), Supt. Jasper Willis (LaTonya), Bishop Jonathan Willis (Felicia), and Alexander Felton, niece, Tiffani Willis, and a host of other relatives and friends.