Willie Marie Moore

In Loving Memory of Willie Marie Moore

December 31, 1930 – September 6, 2025

Willie Marie (Lewis) Moore was born on December 31,1930, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama to the late Frank and Willie Lena Lewis. She peacefully transitioned into eternity on September 6, 2025.

She accepted Christ Jesus as her Savior and was a member of the Morning Star Baptist Church in Holt, Alabama.

In the early 1950s, Willie Marie married the love of her life, Ollie B. Moore, and together they moved to Cleveland, Ohio in search of better opportunities. Ollie built his career at the Ford Motor Company, and the two shared more than 20 years of marriage until his passing in the early 1970s. Their union was one of love and companionship, though they had no children.

Determined to pursue her own calling, Willie Marie enrolled at the Jane Addams School of Nursing in the mid-1950s and became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She proudly served in hospitals and nursing homes throughout Cleveland, leaving a legacy of compassion and professionalism. She was the first in our family to choose the nursing profession, a path later followed by Melsharee Pruitt, Darlene C. Lewis, Andrea Smith, and Arlayna Lewis.

Beyond her career, Willie Marie was admired for her timeless elegance and flair. In the 1950s and 1960s, she could often be seen driving her Ford Thunderbird with the top down, soaking in the summer sun while others sought shade. A fur coat draped across the passenger seat was her signature touch. Truly a diva in the best sense, she dressed in the latest fashions and had an unmistakable love for pink, wearing it boldly from head to toe, with perfectly manicured nails and beautifully styled hair she did herself.

In the late 1950s, Willie Marie and Ollie purchased a home on Lotus Drive, becoming the first homeowners in our Cleveland family and among the first African Americans to move into that neighborhood. Their achievement marked an important milestone in our family’s history and opened doors for future generations.

She was a cultural trendsetter in our family. In her home, you would find her coffee table adorned with the latest issue of Ebony and Jet magazines, showcasing the richness of the African American culture. She had an impressive music collection that included records by Sam Cooke, Johnny Mathis, Brook Benton, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, and Mahalia

Jackson. Sundays at her house were a mix of cultural pride, musical delight, and family warmth – a time we all cherished deeply. There was also plenty of food for all.

She enjoyed traveling, going to the theater, entertaining, and attending church services at Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church where her older brother Samuel Frank Lewis was a deacon.

After retiring, she began experiencing health issues and needed care. Her niece, Helen Frances, was her care giver for over three years. When constant medical emergencies occurred, it was recommended by her physician that she needed twenty-four hours of care. That’s when she became a patient at Singleton Health Care Center in Cleveland. Under their care, her health became better. They took care of her from 2010-2025.

Willie Marie was the third of six children. Her siblings included sister Vivian Elizabeth Jones, (deceased), brother Samuel Frank Lewis (deceased), twin brothers Andrew Jackson Lewis (deceased), Albert Nathaniel Lewis (deceased), and Frederick Douglas Lewis (deceased).

She leaves to cherish her memory sister-in-law Minnie Ruth Lewis, nieces Grace Hill, Linda Faye Jones, Yolanda Denise Jones, Andrea Kidd, Kenna McCoy, Raven Kidd, Helen Frances Copeland, Vivian Elizabeth Mathis, Sandra Ranay Crawford, Kellie Marie Brown, Dionne Michelle Lewis, Nadia Brown, Chenitha Lewis, Melsharee Pruitt, Frederica Lewis, Amber Lewis, Wanda Lewis, Ava Marie Lewis, Arlayna Lewis, Alana Lewis, Denise Daryn Lewis, DeAsia Brown, Andrea Smith, Brunetta Lewis, and Valletta Lewis. Valerie Lewis preceded her in death. Nephews Charles Everette Lewis, Lionel Wendell Lewis, Frank Bruce Lewis, Jonathan Lewis, Andre Lewis, Larry Lewis, Frederick Jones, Alvin Copeland, Jr., David Lewis, DeAngelo Kidd, Lawrence Gilmore, and Tyler Lewis. She was blessed to know four generations of nieces and nephews. Nephews Thomas Bryant Lewis, Zachary Lewis, and Lucius Lamarr Lewis preceded her in death. In addition, her sisters-in-law Helen Marie Lewis and Barbara Jean Lewis also preceded her in death.

The family would like to thank everyone for their expressions of sympathy. Special thanks to Affinity Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor J.T. Thomas, and Associate Pastor Mary Hatten. A heartfelt appreciation also goes to Deacon Lionel Lewis, at Affinity. Special thanks to Adams Mason Funeral Home, and Singleton Health Care Center for 15 years of caring for our beloved Willie Marie Moore.

Visitation: Thursday, September 18, 202510:00 a.m.

Funeral: 10:30 a.m.

Affinity Missionary Baptist Church

4411 East 175th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44128

Interment

CLEVELAND MEMORIAL GARDENS CEMETERY

4324 Green Road

Highland Hills, OH 44122

Repast Affinity Missionary Baptist Church

Arrangements entrusted to Adams Mason Funeral Home (330) 535-9186