Grace Elaine (Marriott) Willis

Grace Elaine Marriott-Willis was the third of six children born to Charles Herbert Marriott and Clarice Anita Marriott in Kingston, Jamaica.

Since the tender age of 7, Grace had always desired to become a nurse. She relocated to England and by age of 18 she began her training at St. Woolas Hospital Monmouthshire in Newport, Wales to become a nurse. It was there she met and married DeOsie Willis and had three children from that union.

In 1958, Grace came to Cleveland, Ohio and stayed at home with the children for several years until she went to work as an accounting clerk for N.Y.C Transport and Cleveland Biological Blood Bank. She also held other temporary jobs working for Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and Cuyahoga Community College.

Grace later became the secretary for Booker T. Tall of Black Affairs until she resigned to pursue her original passion of becoming a Registered Nurse. It was in 1983 when she earned her Associates of Science Degree in Nursing from Tri C Metro Campus.

She immediately began working at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and then at Margaret Wagner House as a licensed RN.

Grace was a Catholic at that time, but then accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior when she found East Mount Zion Baptist Church in 1991. She participated in many activities within the church. She was a part of the courtesy community, a member of group 17 and most active in the nurse’s guild.

Her career transitioned over to General Motors where she became an occupational nurse until her retirement in 2004.

Grace was preceded in her home going by her parents Charles and Clarice Marriott, her sister Yvonne Theresa Marriott, her brothers Reginald Anthony and Charles Percival Marriott, and her son Desmond DeOsie Willis.

Those left to cherish her memory are her siblings: Lorraine Patricia Chaumard of France and Franklin Delanay Marriott of England. Her children: Marcia A. Oliver (Charles Oliver II), and Anthony A. Willis (Rita Sowell); Her God-Daughter: Teresa Yvonne Williams; Five grandchildren: Dwanna Willis (Isaac Tyson), Lawanda Slone (Adrian Slone), Marcus Farrar, Charles Oliver III, and James Oliver. Nineteen great grandchildren: Ralph DeJuan, De’Kristian, De’Narria Willis, and Char’le Ezell; Ameila and Isaiah Slone; Shania and James Oliver Jr.; Quiarra, Quintyas, Mariah, Morgan, and Marcus Farrar Jr.; Jamari, Jalen, Jamia, Javion, Charles Oliver IV, and Cameron Oliver; Four great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins within the United States, Canada, France, South Wales England, Yorkshire, and Jamaica.

Grace will always be remembered and live forever in our hearts.

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