Carrie D. Willis

Carrie Dee Willis, 76, passed away in Des Moines, IA on Thursday, April 9, 2020. She was born on September 7, 1943 to Marion R. and James L. McVay, Jr. in Mason City, Iowa. She was raised in Des Moines where she graduated from Roosevelt High School. She married Bill Willis and moved to California, where her only daughter, Kimberly, was born. Carrie returned to Des Moines in the early 1970’s. She worked most of her career in direct medical supply sales for Briggs Corporation and was an amazing salesperson. She loved her customers and was a natural people person. She loved playing darts with friends from work and is most likely playing with her friend, Alice, right now.

She dedicated her life to raising her daughter and gave her a great start in life. She loved to travel and loved taking cruises. She started small with tent camping and then moved up to a pop up camper that they took to Lake Ahquabi every summer. Summers often included a weekend trip to Kansas City and every August included a trip to the Iowa State Fair for midway games and a corn dog. One of her favorite trips was a Mediterranean cruise she and Kimberly took in 2006. She also loved the Caribbean islands and had a ball swimming with stingrays and dancing with pirates in Grand Cayman for her daughter’s 2009 wedding.

Carrie was a lover of all animals and is together again with all of her cats and dogs that she had loved over the years. Carrie always made sure to feed the birds and squirrels of the neighborhood. They will surely miss her. In addition to all the above, she loved fireworks, slot machines, a good margarita, lobster, darts, TV, the ocean, a cold beer after mowing the lawn and a good joke.

Carrie was a loving, caring, spirited, humorous, incredibly strong woman. I hope I’m just like her. I love you the mostest, bestest, estest mom.

Carrie is survived by her daughter Kimberly (Steve Stankavage) Willis; her grandchildren Alex and Lucy, whom she loved more than anything in the world; her brother Jim (Carole) McVay, III; her cousins Mike, Rob and The Reverend Kathleen Milligan; and her nephews James and Bob (Pam) McVay.

Memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Greyhound Adoption or the animal rescue organization of your choice. A memorial service will be held at a later date once it is safe to do so.

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