Mary Anne Haisten Willis

Mary Anne Haisten Willis

 On February 16, Mary Anne Haisten Willis, precious Mama and Memama, went to be with the Lord.  Mary Anne was born on February 3, 1931, in Griffin, GA, daughter of the late Embry Asbury and Leila Clyde Godard Haisten.   

Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Wednesday February 19, 2020 at St. Luke United Methodist Church with Reverend Dick Reese officiating.  Interment will follow at Parkhill Cemetery, according to Vance Brooks Funeral Home 4048 Macon Road, Columbus, GA.  The family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 PM Wednesday in the Stockwell Hall of St. Luke United Methodist Church.

After graduating from Griffin High School in 1949, she received an Associate’s Degree from Georgia State University and was accepted into the Nursing School at Crawford Long Hospital, receiving her Registered Nursing pin in 1954.  She then spent the next 44 years working in private duty.

In 1955, Mary Anne married Emmett Willis.  She and Emmett moved to Columbus, where they began their careers and a family.  She was a member of the Fellowship Class at Saint Luke United Methodist Church.  Through many gatherings, celebrations, holidays, and travel, her Fellowship class friends (along with her late brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Loren and Rebecca Grose) provided caring support after the death of Emmett in 1995.

Mary Anne was preceded in death by her husband, Emmett Erastus Willis, Jr., brother and sister-in-law, Fredrick Embry and Vera Haisten.

She is survived by her daughter, LeighAnne Willis (Dana) Nix of Columbus, GA; sons, Matthew Emmett (Patricia) Willis  of Macon, GA, James Mark Willis, Sr. of Columbus, GA, and John Haisten (Lynn) Willis, Sr.  of Douglasville, GA; daughter-in-law, Nancy Willis, of Columbus, GA;  and nephew, Dr. Lee (Sanjna) Grose, of Snellville, GA.

She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren:  Brooke (Darryl) Autry, Whitney (David) Clayton, Julie (Kyle) Campbell, Haisten (Ginger) Willis, Patrick (Lindsey) Smith, Amy Willis, Matthew (Katie) Willis, Hilary Willis, James (Caya) Willis, Emilie Willis, Frank Willis, Lukas Willis, and Nicklaus Willis. 

Additional survivors include eleven great-grandchildren:  Nathan, Avery, Madison, Braden, Maddox, Morgan, Hazel-Jane, Carter, Emerson, Forest, Bobbie-Lynn, and baby to be, Elliot, along with several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Mary Anne’s family would like to thank her memory care givers at The Landings of Columbus, as well as all of those who dedicate their lives to caring for others.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Alzheimer’s Association.