Essie Bea (Bea) Willis

On a bright and sunny day on April 28, 1932, a beautiful baby girl was born to Dessie and Mattie Colbert in Omaha, Georgia.  She was given the name of Essie Bea Colbert.

In her early childhood she went to live with her grandparents Mr. and Mrs.  John McLeod in Tuskegee, Alabama.  She attended public school in Alabama until she met and married John Brown and to that union were two children, Virginia and Johnny.

In 1948 John and Essie relocated to Americus, Georgia.  While in Americus, she worked at the Foremost Dairy packing butter.

In 1953 Essie met and married Freddie Lee Willis who preceded her in death.  Freddie and Essie relocated to Miami, Florida in 1954.  Essie worked as a housekeeper for one of her clients who asked her to work in her gift shop at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida and was there until she retired in 1985.

Essie who was affectionately called, Bea, by family and friends loved to fish and play cards.  Essie enjoyed taking care of her grandsons.

Essie will be greatly missed by her loving and devoted daughter, Virginia (Jimmylee) and her loving son, Johnny (Ann), grandsons Robert (Lisa) Brown of Miami, Florida; Dwayne DeLoach of Miami, Florida and Travis (Keisha) Colebrook of Minnesota; 2 brothers Ellis Colbert of Atlanta, Georgia; William Colbert of Washington, D.C.; 6 great granddaughters; 3 great grandsons,; a loving goddaughter, Judy Swain and Godson Danny Swain.  She was also survived by her step-children, Eddie (Sherry) Willis; Freddie Mae Lance (Harold) deceased, Phil (Mimi) Willis, Alfreda Willis and Roger Willis (Regina) and Monroe Willis (deceased) Janice.

She passed away on Monday, November 29, 2021 at Community Hospice in Vidalia.

The family will receive friends on Friday, December 3, 2021 from the hours of 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the funeral home.  Funeral services will be conducted 11:00am on Saturday, December 4, 2021 from the Chapel of Low Country Cremation and Burial.  Interment will follow in the Reidsville City Cemetery.

Low Country Cremation and Burial is serving the family.