Mary Helen Poston Willis

Mary Helen Poston Willis, 79, of Kingsport, passed away on Thursday, July 7th at home with her family by her side.

Mary Helen was a life long member of the First Baptist Church of Kingsport in the Esther Sunday School Class and served for 21 years as a volunteer in the church nursery. She was a quilter, an avid reader, a gardener and served as the President of the Skyland Drive Garden Club. She traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada, South and Central America and the Caribbean. She was a member of the Kingsport OptiMrs Club, a Girl Scout leader and an excellent cook. She attended Stetson University, the Univeristy of TN and ETSU. Mary Helen had a great sense of humor, was friendly and outgoing and was a loving mother and proud grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilmer Holdway Poston and Roberta Taylor Simcox Poston of Kingsport.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Ray L. Willis; her daughters, Mary Lou Willis and her husband Don Spann, San Diego, CA, Barbara Willis Bergholm and her husband Eric Bergholm, Valrico, FL, Kathryn Willis Royall and her husband Dan Royall, Oak Ridge, NC; and one son, Ray Lynn Willis Jr. and his wife Abby Willis, Boone, NC; one sister Margaret Poston Neal and her husband Charles Neal, Southhaven, MS; six grandchildren Rene Ann Bergholm, Ryan Taylor Bergholm, Nathaniel Poston Royall, Ian Carter Royall, Lucy Helen Willis, Annie Kay Willis; along with several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday at 2:00 pm at the First Baptist Church of Kingsport. The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service at the church.

Many thanks to the Amedisys Hospice of Kingsport, especially nurses Misty and Sandra.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the First Baptist Church Library Fund of Kingsport / 200 West Church Circle / Kingsport, TN 37660-3668; or to the American Cancer Society / 508 Princeton Rd # 102, Johnson City, TN 37601.