Dr. John Thomas Willis

Dr. John Thomas Willis passed away on August 21, 2023, in Abilene, Texas. He was 89 years old.  A visitation with the family will be held from 5-7 pm at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St. on Friday August 25th.  A funeral service will be held Saturday morning at 10:00 am in the auditorium of Highland Church of Christ with a burial to follow at Elliott Hamil Garden of Memories Cemetery

John was born at the West Texas Baptist Sanitarium (later Hendrick Hospital) in Abilene, Texas on November 21, 1933, to Cullen E. and Madge Willis. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1951 and then attended Abilene Christian College, graduating with a degree in Greek in 1955 and then completing a Master’s degree in Old Testament in 1956. He married Evelyn Joyce Forrest in Stamford on January 27, 1956, with Dr. J.D. Thomas presiding, and they celebrated 66 years of marriage before Evelyn’s passing. Following graduation in May of 1956, the couple moved to Nashville, Tennessee. John began teaching at David Lipscomb College in the Fall, as well as preaching in Lebanon and then Nashville. While teaching and preaching, John pursued a PhD in Biblical and Related Studies at Vanderbilt University, graduating in 1966. All four of the Willis children were born in Nashville. In 1971, the Willis family moved back to Abilene and ACC, where John continued his teaching career until he retired in 2017. John and Evelyn were very active in the work of the Highland Church of Christ for the past half-century. John served as an elder at Highland from 1975 until 2023, with Evelyn laboring alongside him until the day of her passing in April of 2022.

John was also preceded in death by his parents, Cullen E. and Madge Willis. He is survived by his children: David Willis and his wife Danna of American Samoa, Deborah Doss and her husband Stuart of Pearland, Texas, Tim Willis and his wife Jan of Malibu, California and Paul Willis and his wife Nancy of Minneapolis, Minnesota; plus 14 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

The family request that, instead of flowers or plants, donations be made to the John and Evelyn Willis Endowment Fund at Abilene Christian University.

If you are unable to attend the service in person on Saturday, the family would like to invite you to watch the livestream at youtube.com/highlandabilene