David Russell Willis

David Willis, 62, of Shawnee, Oklahoma, died Saturday, May 21 at his home.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, 2022 at the First Baptist Church of Tecumseh.

David was born on August 26, 1959, in Shawnee to Russell and Una (Gilliland) Willis who lived in Tecumseh at the time. He graduated from Shawnee High School with the Class of 1977. On March 7, 1980, David married Tammie Seckel of Tecumseh. They lived in Shawnee their whole lives and have two children and one grandchild. In March of 2022, David and Tammie celebrated 42 years of marriage.

During his life he worked in the restaurant industry eventually becoming a restaurant manager at several restaurants in the state.

David was an avid home baker and gardener. After retiring early, David could often be found baking cookies, cakes and breads at home or tending to his roses and vegetable garden. He was also a huge music fan and passes on a large, eclectic record collection.

After Tammie’s retirement, the two of them spent time traveling to visit their children. For the last four years, David turned to doting Papa to his grandson and spent a lot of time on video calls listening to a toddler talk about his day and finding ways to make his grandson giggle.

David was preceded by his parents. He is survived by his wife; two children and their families – Jeremy Willis and Franny Kovelman and their son Nathaniel of Canton, Connecticut, and Chris Willis and J.R. Gambino of Raleigh, North Carolina; his brother Randy Willis and his wife Jeanie, his sister Lori and her husband Steve Clymer, nieces Jennifer Young, Jason Hessman and his wife Jenn, Autumn Brum and her husband Scott, Erik Hurst, Michele Blain and her husband Brandon, Matthew Willis and his wife Leah, great-nephews Kooper Blain, Aiden and Tyler Hessman, Chase Shawn, Klayton and Beau Eller, and Mateo and Theodore Willis, and great-nieces Klaire Blain, Elliette Willis, Olivia Surface and Sophie Avalos.