Willie (Jr.) Ligon

Willie Ligon Jr. was born on September 30, 1918 in Tuskegee, Alabama to Della Perry and Willie Ligon Sr whom preceded him in death.  Willie and siblings were raised by their grandmother Anna Sparks. Dad often talk about the difficult times he and his siblings had growing up he would give praise to God for bring them through those times. As a young child he worked in the field picking cotton and plowing the fields behind a mule.  He only had one pair of overall (jeans) and shoes.  He wasn’t allowed to obtain education he had no choice but to go to work in the field.  In Tuskegee he attended Mt. Nebo Baptist Church where he received Christ at a very young age.  He left Tuskegee at age of 19 years old to join his family members in Cleveland, Ohio.  He worked several jobs, before he landed a position as a butcher at K & K Meats for 37 years where retired, he always worked two jobs during those years.  After a few months of retirement he re-enter the work force where he obtain a job at Ellicott Park Apartments maintaining the buildings where he worked many years, until he finally retired at the age of 72.  In 1942, he joined Elizabeth Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Fred Hall, who he considered to be a very close personal friend and mentor, Dad offend would said he help and encouraged him a lot in his life.  While attending Elizabeth he sung in the choir, served and was president of the Usher Board, served on the Deacon Board and he was also custody of the church. While attending Elizabeth he met the love of his life Bessie (Hunter) Ligon in 1953 they were together almost 50 years until her passing on December 2, 2002.  Their love story reminded you of the movie “His, Hers and Ours.”  Dad left Elizabeth under the leadership of Pastor Lindy Winston in 2002 to join his son Vincent who had begun pastoring Emmaus Bible Fellowship Church where he was a member until his death, he was known as the “Father of the Church.”

Dad enjoyed in his younger years gardening, cutting grass, fishing, before his health would no longer allow him to do so.  As he gotten older he enjoyed watching his favorite television show “Walker Texas Rangers, watching Bishop T.D. Jakes preach the word of God and let’s not forget his beloved Indians. One thing that never changed his love for the Lord he enjoyed talking, praying, singing praise to His Name, you could him singing throughout the house, dad would create his own worship songs. 

On November 11, 2020 at 2:30am God called him home to His Heavenly Choir.

He leaves his daughters Debra Levert (Charles), Justine Reeves, and his son Vincent Ligon (Vanessa), his grandson and granddaughter who called him dad Dartarian Warr (Denise), Delvoland Shakespeare (Charlynn), Sabrina McGhee, his god daughters Barbara Cowans and Sandra Watson, his  nieces who he called his daughters Geraldine Campbell and Ardean Stone, Rubye Jones, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren and Great, Great Grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other family, friends, Emmaus and Elizabeth Church family.  His siblings precede him in death Katie Campbell, Veotis Ligon, Moses Ligon, his daughter Barbara Shakespeare and great granddaughter Christin Ligon.

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