Rest in Peace: Doyle Willis Sr. "the Mother Teresa of Texas vets"

Longtime lawmaker laid to rest
Doyle Willis Sr. is honored as a champion of the underdog
By JACK DOUGLAS JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

FORT WORTH -- Most were Democrats, a few were Republicans, and others couldn't give a flip about politics. But they all joined Monday to fill a church sanctuary and pay their respects at the funeral for former legislator Doyle Willis Sr., a 42-year veteran at the state Capitol and Fort Worth's City Hall.
A World War II veteran, Fort Worth city councilman, state representative and state senator, Willis was praised as a tireless defender of the underdog and an advocate for police and firefighters.
Mounted officers were stationed outside, and police and fire honor guards stood at attention inside, as friends and supporters remembered Willis, a Democrat, at the First United Methodist Church near downtown Fort Worth.
He died Thursday at age 98.
Willis was called "the Mother Teresa of Texas vets" by Ronald Ballard, a Methodist minister and religion professor at Texas Wesleyan University. Ballard was referring to Willis' work in helping to pass laws in Austin that benefited military families.
"There were few people like Doyle Willis. He was always for the underdog," Ballard said.
Albert Chew Jr., pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in Fort Worth and a 40-year friend of Willis', recalled an incident many years ago when he and his friend were driving through deep East Texas. Chew, who is black, said he offered to drive and act the part of "house boy" for the white Willis to keep from drawing attention.
Willis was appalled, Chew remembered, and said, "I don't ever want to hear anything like that again, even if we live to be 100."
Willis got close, yet never slowed in his crusade, always offering to help with a hand -- or an opinion, friends said.
"Doyle didn't swim in the same lake with regular people," said Chew. "He swam upstream."
Willis represented central Fort Worth in the House and Senate during four separate stints dating to 1947.
In all, he served 42 years, the second-longest tenure in Texas history. Once he introduced legislation that would have made it a felony to steal someone's dog.
And between his times of service in the Capitol, he was on the Fort Worth City Council.
Since retiring from the House in January 1997, Willis had remained active as a lawyer and in civic affairs until a few months ago, friends and relatives said.
"He was one of those old war horses, the likes of which we'll never see again," County Commissioner Roy Brooks said.
State Rep. Marc Veasey called Willis a "larger-than-life individual" who got along with a diverse group of people. "He was definitely a good Democrat. He's going to be missed," Veasey said.
John Ella Stewart, who met Willis through her late father, Cornelius Mills, agreed.
"I just fell in love with him," said Stewart, "because he was such a fine person and a good Christian."

source: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/14911283.htm