Obituary for Jon Willis

Dr. Jon Thomas Willis

January 19, 1938 – November 2, 2023

Jon T. Willis, MD. was born the third son of Phoebe and V. L. Willis on January 19, 1938, in Blackwell, OK. He and his two brothers, James Richard, and Daniel Joseph, were educated in the Blackwell School system, and all three were honored in their senior year by being awarded the distinction as the Maroon Spirit of their class. After graduation, Jon went to NOJC, where he was elected President of the freshman class his first year, and President of the Student Body the second year. He quarterbacked the Maverick football team both years. From Junior college he went on to OSU, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree.

He then applied to medical school and was accepted at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. While in school he married Carolyn Robinson of Tonkawa, who subsequently mothered all three of their children. After 46 years of marriage, Carolyn died suddenly with heart disease, and later he married Carolyn Cornelius of Del City. This marriage lasted only eight months, as she died with a rapidly growing previously unknown tumor. Then in 2012, he married his current spouse, Sharon Wallace, a member of Quail Springs Baptist Church.

He has three children by his first wife, Jonathan Brent, Susan Roberts and spouse Jim, also Mark Thomas and spouse Tracy, all of Edmond. There are three grandchildren, Landon, Landry, and Vic, again all of Edmond.

He performed family practice in St. John, KS for eight years, prior to returning to the Oklahoma Health Science Center for a residency in anesthesiology. While in Kansas, he became a Christian, and served on the Executive Board of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists, also the Executive Committee. He was Chief of Staff at the St. John District Hospital, and served as Deputy County Coroner for several years. After his residency was completed, he served on the executive board of Integris Baptist Medical Center and as Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology, as well as the Medical Director of the Medical Plaza Surgery Center for 24 years. During this period, he was a member of Northwest Anesthesia, Inc., in Oklahoma City.

Among his favorite books were “Why I Believe that the Bible is Literally True,” by Dr. W. A. Criswell, and “Things to Come” by Dr. Dwight Pentecost. He loved the Lord, his church, his family, his country, birds, and dogs, and was grateful for all. He had a passion to study and teach the Bible, and share the good news for Jesus Christ any time.

He taught Sunday School classes at First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Henderson Hills in Edmond, and most recently at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. At each church he served as a deacon.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, November 6th at Quail Springs Baptist Church with Dr. Jeff DeGiacomo of Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee officiating. Burial will be in the Blackwell Cemetery.

Casketbearers will be Brent Willis, Mark Willis, Carter Wallace, Landon Willis, Vic Roberts and Jim Scalf. Serving as honorary casketbearers will be Jerry Bowzer, Dwayne Smith, Joe Gibbon, Gary Poulain, David Fraser, Terry Dow, Frank Driskel and Jim Daniel.

A memorial has been established in his honor with the Quail Springs Baptist Prayer Ministry, 14613 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73134.

On-line condolences can be made at www.robertsandsonfh.com