Ira Lamar Willis

Ira Lamar Willis, 83, passed through the veil, July 23, 2011 with his family at his side. He was at home on the ranch where he had lived for 64 years. He was born on the Willis homestead in Snowflake to Vern and Pearl Willis on November 30, 1927. He has been a rancher and farmer all of his life. He and his dad farmed the homestead and acquired the T-Bar Ranch when Ira was 10 years old and Concho Flat Ranch when he was 19 years old. Ira was involved with the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association, the Navajo County Farm Bureau and spent countless hours on the Snowflake Irrigation District Governing Board. In March of 2011 he was inducted into the Arizona Rancher-Farmer Hall of Fame. Ira loved good horses, good cattle and most of all he loved his family. Ira is survived by his wife Rita Fletcher Willis; daughters, Roma Lee (Phil) Hiatt, Lea (late Greg) Egnor, Melanee (Ben) Rearden, Jackie (Lloyd) Parker and a son Lamar (Robin) Willis; Kent (Kim) Fletcher, Richard (Donna) Fletcher, Janet (Kyle) Duren; 27 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Swanee; son, Reaves and a great-grandson, Jackson. Funeral services will be held at the Snowflake Main Street Chapel, Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 10:00 AM with a visitation beginning at 9:00 AM. There will also be time to visit with the Willis family at the Owens Livingston Mortuary, Snowflake Heritage Chapel on Friday, July 29, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The interment will be in the R.V. Mike Ramsey Cemetery in Snowflake, Arizona following the funeral services. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association Litigation Fund at 1401 N. 24th Street Suite 4, Phoenix, Arizona 85008. Owens Livingston Mortuary of Snowflake handled the arrangements.