Harriet Lorraine Willis Funeral Program

Harriet Lorraine Willis was born on Thursday, July 29, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois, to Minnie Lee (Dampeer, Willis) Eames and Mike Willis. She was named after her aunt, Harriet Dampeer who passed away in 1949 at the age of 17 in Mendenhall, MS. As the eldest of her mother's eight children, and her father's eight + children, she was a guiding presence from the start.

Lorraine was raised in the household of her mother who was a hardworking, dedicated and entrepreneurial woman. When her mother headed off to work she would instruct her kids "Lorraine is in charge when I'm not at home and if you don't do what you're told, you have to deal with me." Her brother David - who shares the same birthday - one year apart - referred to her as the Head Chief and Bottle washer!

Around the age of nine, she was diagnosed with eczema - a skin condition she would live with for the rest of her life. As a child, her grandmother would put socks over her hands at night to keep her from scratching, as she would often wake up with blood soaked sheets.

Lorraine began her educational journey at Gregory Elementary School, later graduating from John Marshall High School both located in Chicago, IL. She pursued higher education at Mary Holmes College in Mississippi.

Throughout her life, Lorraine embraced various roles, working in restaurants, daycares, bartending, and serving as a reservation clerk for a transportation service. Her diverse experiences shaped her into a dynamic and compassionate individual.

In 1980 her brother Darryl was killed in a vehicle accident which prompted her to relocate from Chicago to Milwaukee. In Milwaukee she joined several of her siblings and together they raised their children, watched her brother Kevin excel in baseball, traveled back and forth to Mississippi and always hosting get togethers at her house where people would rave over her dishes. She could take whatever was in the fridge/freezer and make gourmet meals. She could feed a village with what most folks would struggle to feed a household of 5.

She experienced a brain aneurysm in her early forty's that would significantly change her life. She worked hard to re-learn the basics, speaking, walking, etc. Her daughter La Toya, left the Army and moved back home to become her caregiver and to help raise her siblings which included a cousin/brother Jose and alongside her aunts and uncles - loved and prayed Lorraine to recovery.

After she recovered from the aneurysm, her skin condition continued to worsen. While battling other life issues and later in life was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. As her health declined in her later years, her granddaughter Amara (Molly) lovingly took on the role of head
caregiver.

Lorraine departed this life on Saturday, August 10, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She was a devoted daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother, known for her nurturing nature, which included helping her mother raise her siblings with a blend of discipline and affection. Her home was a place of warmth and joy, where she delighted in entertaining guests with her famous dishes.

Lorraine's legacy of love and dedication lives on through her family and friends. Her final words include Molly saying "this is so sad" and Lorraine responding "sad for yall." Her final words: "I LOVE ALL OF YALL" she closed her eyes and transitioned.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Minnie Eames; father, Mike Willis; stepmother, Emma "Big Mama" Willis; daughter, Sandra Willis; great-granddaughter, Kalani Beamon; and brothers Kelvin Willis, Thomas Willis, Darryl Willis, and Anthony Gardner.

·Lorraine is survived by her children, La Toya Sykes and Carl Willis; her grandchildren, Amara Willis, Brianna Willis, Carl Willis Jr., Kiara Willis, Lacara Willis, Lemesha Graceson, and Jeremiah Harris; her great-grandchild, Deshawn Kimbrough Jr.; and her siblings, Bertha Hartwell, Betty Miles, Bruce (Phyllis) Willis, David (Diane) Willis, Gloria Gardner, Jeanette Gardner, Linda Satterfield, Luvette Provine, Mike Gardner, Walter (Regina) Gardner, and Willie Gardner.