Leslie Willey

Leslie Willey Sr long time former resident of Port Aransas passed away February 18, after a lengthy illness. He was born in Brookings, South Dakota on May 27, 1935 and was adopted by Eva O Willey who brought him to Texas at the age of 5. 

 

   ‘Willey’ as most knew him by, served 22 years in the United States Coast Guard and retired in 1973. During this time he served in The Korean War,  Alaska, Hawaii,Galveston, South Pass Louisiana and the South Pacific. But his main tour of duty brought him 3 times to Port Aransas for a total of 14 years arriving here the first time in 1954. Here, he met and married his first wife, Margaret Ulch and between them had 5 children. 

 

    He grew up from the age of 5 in Poteet, Texas with the Yow family who were friends of his mother ,on their 6000 acre peanut farm. He also took his interest in music from the Yow family learning the fiddle, then guitar from the age of 6. Most of the island people knew him through his music.

   In 1981, he met and married his wife of 40 years, Wanda Hardy, in Oklahoma while working at the University there. He brought her to Texas in 1983 and then to Port Aransas in 1987. 

 

     He is preceded in death by his wife Wanda Ellen Willey, daughter Cindy Willey Strode and granddaughter Lindsey Michelle Earls and two great grandsons 

    He is survived by his children Leslie Willey Jr, Stacey Willey Medders, Scott Willey and John Willey, Alta Earls and Tommy Reese. And numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren