Mr. Willie Tyson

Willie Cornelius Tyson passed away in the early hours of Monday, February 20, 2017 in Raleigh, NC surrounded by his loving family. Willie was born July 3, 1942 in Greenville, NC to the late Eddie and the late Viola Spain Tyson. He was the youngest of six children. His brothers and sisters were: James Edward Tyson, Henry Wright Tyson, Amanda Odessa (Tyson) Cooper, Mattie Gray (Tyson) Dixon, Ada Grace (Tyson) Smith. In 1966 he met and married his love, Dorothy Lee Lewis, and from this union he gained three children, Joanne Marie Tillery, Gregory Cornelius Tyson, and Christy Michelle Tyson. Approximately around 1994, he began a diligent study of the bible and learned that Jehovah was the only true God. Willie, along with his wife, Dorothy was both baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on April 17, 1999. He served Jehovah faithfully and zealously until his death. He was a faithful preacher of the good news for seventeen years even being appointed as a ministerial servant. He started full time pioneering September 1, 2015, and was privileged to attend Pioneer school. He loved helping others to learn about his God, Jehovah. He was very active and had several assignments in the congregation. In his earlier years, Willie had a host of jobs. Some of which took him as far south as Tampa, FL and as far north as Newark, NJ. In 1979, he began working for Physician’s East as the Maintenance and Grounds Keeper, this job allowed him to do what he loved, working outside. Subsequently, he also started his own landscaping business. He remained with Physicians East until his retirement in 2015. Willie never fully retired from lawn care, as it was another one of his passions he enjoyed doing. Much of Willie’s life was devoted to others. Willie spent many years taking care of his father, Eddie Tyson, while being a wonderful husband and father to his family. Regularly, he visited his father and made sure he had whatever he needed and wanted, including Eddie’s favorite food; moon pies and chitterlings. Willie had a reputation of being a hard worker and someone whom you could depend on. If you called, “he answered.” If he had it to loan or give, he would give it…even if it were his last. His personality was as big as his heart. He was always talking, “cutting up”, telling jokes and making people laugh. He never met a stranger and was overall a fun person to be around. Willie also had a love and talent for making things grow. He loved working in his yard, his children’s yard and others. Without their knowledge and to their surprise, Willie would go to the nursery purchase flowers and plant them in his daughters’ yards. There has been countless times, Willie has driven to Raleigh only because “the baby” wants ice cream or to kill a bug. He exemplified for his son, Gregory, the qualities of a good person and how to stand on his own as a man. It was a regular occurrence for he and his wife, Dorothy, to hit the road without any particular place to go…just riding out to enjoy each other and the day or to cruise the Seas visiting Jamaica, Bahamas and Mexico. He would go far and wide for his wife and children. Even after falling ill, Tuesday, February 14, 2017 and with surgery before him, he was still thinking of others, instructing his daughter Joanne, to get the oil changed. He is survived by, his wife, Dorothy Lee Tyson; children, JoAnne Marie Tillery, Gregory Cornelius Tyson, Christy Michelle Tyson, four grandchildren, Emani Phillips, Zykeia Tyson, Kayla Nicole Terry and Trayvion Tyson; two sisters, Amanda Odessa Cooper, Ada Grace Smith; four step- brothers, John Bennett Slade, Lynnwood “LC” Taft, Willie James Taft, J.D. Taft; two sisters- in- law, Deborah Lewis and Diane Lewis; brother- in- law, Terry Wayne Lewis; a host of very special nieces, nephews, friends that treasure his memory and long to see him again. Willie will be remembered for his love and devotion to his family, constant hard work, and his zeal for Jehovah.

Tributes

Mr. Willie Tyson

July 3, 1942 - February 20, 2017