Donnetta Louise Willis' Obituary
Donnetta Louise Willis, 80, passed away peacefully on February 1, 2026, in Flower Mound, Texas, from complications related to cerebral palsy. Born on August 4, 1945, in Dallas, Texas, Donnetta was the eldest of four children of the late Simmons C. Willis, Jr. and Louise M. Willis of Dallas.
She is survived by her sister, Alissa Willis of Denton, Texas, and her family Arden and Vonn Miller, and their children, Sarah Ann Miller of Lantana, Texas, and Genaveve Miller of Canyon, Texas. Donnetta is also survived by her sister, Tanya Willis Henry of Grand Prairie and husband Greg Henry and his daughter, Rebecca. Tanya’s children, Stacy Sterner and her children, Hannah Rollefson of Keller and Brenden Sterner of Keller; and Wiley L. Alexander, Jr. of Austin. She was preceded in death by her brother, Mark C. Willis of Dallas.
A proud graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Class of 1964, Donnetta went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in 1978—an achievement that exemplified her perseverance, determination, and courage. The following year, she was honored as one of the “Outstanding Young Women of America.”
After graduation, Donnetta remained in Waco working on campus and enthusiastically maintained her status as “Once a Bear, Always a Bear.” Baylor was more than a university to her; it was part of her identity. She wore her green and gold proudly and never missed an opportunity to say, “Go Bears!”
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