Mary Fisher Willis, 81, of Utopia died on April 18, 2016, in Boerne. A family interment will take place on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Jones Cemetery in Utopia, followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. at the Utopia United Methodist Church. She was born on Feb. 21, 1935, in Sabinal to June (Tucker) and Henry Fisher. She was the third child in the family. The family says that although she was a child of the Depression, Willis had a happy childhood and once described herself as an “ordinary girl born into the best family in the world.” She attended school in Utopia. She went to Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) for college. After graduation in 1958, she began teaching school in Corpus Christi. She married James E. Willis Jr. on June 10, 1961, in Corpus Christi. The couple eventually moved to San Antonio, where they raised their daughters. They were married for almost 55 years. Willis was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church and the family says she cherished her family’s history of faith and service. According to the family, she loved family reunions at the Fisher Camp, the Texas Hill Country, children’s books, and spending time with her seven grandchildren. She was a high school teacher, kindergarten teacher, and school librarian until her retirement in 1999. After retirement, the couple moved to Utopia to reside in the family home. She is survived by her husband, of Utopia; two daughters, Mary Cay Barker and husband, Steve, of Victoria, and Ann Dreggors and husband, David, of San Antonio; two sisters, June Bible of Dexter, New Mexico, and Evelyn LeBouf and husband, Clarence, of Utopia; one brother, Henry Fisher Jr.of Houston; seven grandchildren, Allison, Sam, Caroline, and Jason Dreggors, and Morgan, Sydney, and Robin Barker; and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Utopia United Methodist Church, 527 Cypress St., Utopia, TX, 78884.
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