James Charles Willis, 73, of St. Louis, Missouri passed away peacefully on January 26, 2025. Known to all that love him as Jim, he is survived by his stepchildren, Jason Rosenthal (Jane), Daniel Rosenthal (Rebecca), and Jennifer Mills (Brent); his grandchildren, Elizabeth Wade (Matt), Katie Henson (David), Kevin Rosenthal (Gretchen), Abigail Rosenthal, Brandon Mills, and Carly Mills; his great-grandchildren, Jackson, Lacey, Billy, Paisley, Madeline, Asher, and Zaiden; as well as his siblings, Kevin R. Willis (Nancy) and Kathy J. Willis (Jeff), and his niece Claudia (Joshua). He was preceded in death by his wife, Merle Shulman Willis, and his parents, Charles E. Willis and Martha J. Willis (Meade).
Jim was born on January 23, 1952, in Greenville, North Carolina but grew up in St. Ann, Missouri. In his youth, he was in boy scouts and played little league baseball. He immensely enjoyed family camping and fishing trips. Jim graduated from Ritenour high school in 1971. He went on to study at the University of Missouri-Columbia and achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology, showcasing a remarkable aptitude for computer programming in which he went on to spend his career as a computer programmer.
Jim married his beloved wife, Merle Shulman Willis, and went on to have an incredibly loving, funny, and devoted marriage until her passing on January 18, 2016. Even with all of his accomplishments, nothing meant more to Jim than his family. He shared an undeniably special bond with his granddaughter, Abigail. Prior to the pandemic, Jim was a cherished fixture at Shaare Emeth, where he found community and connection. He especially loved attending Torah study sessions, a passion that brought him great fulfillment and allowed him to deepen his faith and relationships with others.
A service to celebrate Jim’s life will be held on Thursday, January 30, 2025, with visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m. at Berger Memorial Chapel, 9430 Olive Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63132. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association in Jim’s memory.
