Willie Mae Wilhite (Lansing)

Willie Mae Moss Wilhite was born June 28, 1944, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to Lucy Lee Travier Moss and Jordan Moss. She was the third of twenty-two children.

She accepted Christ at an early age and began her Christian journey. She grew up in Missouri and Arkansas and moved to Lansing, Michigan with her husband, Lovie Wilhite Sr. and family in the mid-1960’s. Over the years, Sis. Wilhite was a member of a few different churches while residing in Lansing before becoming a faithful member of Immanuels Temple System of Churches under the leadership of Bishop Phillip E. Owens, where she remained until her transition.

Willie Mae raised her family primarily in Lansing and Peoria, Illinois. She enjoyed many things - what-nots, flowers/gardening, crafting floral arrangements, food (you definitely knew when she was enjoying her food), drinking Big K and Faygo Peach Pops, painting her long-g-g fingernails, dressing for church and wearing fancy hats. Her favorite color was orange and more recently teal. Family was everything and she was a fierce “protector”. She always ended her telephone calls with “I love you”. She relocated to Las Vegas in November 2013, but was preparing to return to Lansing at the time of her transition.

At the age of 79, Willie Mae’s earthly book of life closed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she was surrounded by her children. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lucy and Jordan; sisters, Lorine, Lula Mae, Georgia Lee, Rosemary, Brenda and Linnie; brothers, Hosea, Walter, and Leroy.

She leaves to cherish her memory: four children, Lynette Gibson, Theresa Reynolds, Lovie Wilhite, Jr., and Keisha Wilhite, all of Lansing; seven grandchildren, Lamont Jackson of Jesup, Georgia, Carlos Reynolds, Quaron Wilhite, Khaurin Wilhite, Lov’Aya Rodriguez, Tyrice Reynolds, and Tyisha Reynolds, all of Lansing; eight sisters: Teina Christian, Cynthia Evans, Jacqueline Abraham, Loreta Holliday, and Rev. Joanne Moore of Lansing; Bernice Bell of Benton Harbor, Michigan, Linda Williams of St. Louis, Missouri and Cora (Oszie) Coleman of Peoria, Illinois; seven brothers: Patrick Smith of Lansing; Isaac Smith of Matteson, Illinois, Eddie B. (Phyllis) Moss of St. Louis, Missouri, Jordan Moss, Jr. of Chicago, Illinois, Michael (Sharon Kaye) Moss of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Jackie Moss of Alton, Illinois, and Johnnie (Karen) Alexander of Friendswood, Texas; two godchildren - Kayla Williams and Paula Garrett; and many great grandchildren.