Evan L. Willis

Evan L. Willis, age 84, of West Frankfort, Illinois, passed away on March 10, 2026, at Countryside Manor in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Born on December 11, 1941, in West Frankfort to Samuel and Ora (Williams) Willis, Evan graduated from Benton High School in 1959. He worked on farms near Ewing and Whittington during his youth, spent three years in a cast iron foundry in Mt. Vernon, and then drove for United Parcel Service for 31 years, first as a delivery driver and later as a semi-truck driver, retiring in 1996. He and Lenora Mae Gordon were married on September 29, 1986, in West Frankfort and shared nearly 40 years of marriage.

A longtime member of the Teamsters Local Union 710, Evan was formerly active at Ewing Baptist Church and more recently attended Faith Baptist Church in Benton. He found joy in restoring antique cars and taking on concrete jobs alongside friends including Chuck, Kevin, and Phillip Skuta, Roger Stanley, Mike Boner, Steve Stanley, and many others. Above all, he cherished his family and created countless cherished memories with them.

He is survived by his wife, Lenora M. Willis of West Frankfort; son Devin M. Willis of West Frankfort; daughter Kimberly Ann Mueller and husband Michael of Carbondale; grandchildren Madison Mueller and Blake Mueller of Carbondale; four step-daughters, Leann Brackney of Mattoon, Tina Huston of Peoria, Theresa Stevens and husband Gary of Oakland, and Victoria Followell of West Frankfort; step-grandchildren Brittany Brown and husband Michael of Peoria, Staci Roy and husband Henry of Peoria, Joni Farris-Morrison and husband J.C. of Charleston, Devon Stevens and wife Anna of Charleston, Nathaniel Followell of Altamont, Ariel Followell of New York, and Bianca Burchard and husband Sam of Decatur; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Roxanne Summers and husband Chuck of Robinson and Rita Mary Mathis and husband Carl of Henton; brothers-in-law Benjamin Gordon and wife Karen of Shelbyville, Richard Gordon of Farmington, Indiana, and Thomas Gordon of Arkansas; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Charles Willis, brother-in-law Leonard Gordon, and sister-in-law Juanetta Gordon.