This is the photo on Bea's gravestone, and is the way she looked, with this same long Page Boy hairdo, until after her oldest daughter was married in October 1965, in Page, AZ.

IN CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION LIFE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE LIFE OF BEATRICE LEA WILLIS BLOXTON JOHNSTON (October 6, 1926 - December 8, 1996) -- Willis Family Motto: "Virtue is the safest helmet" (Virtus tutissima casis)

Donna Petersen's Tribute to her mother at her funeral service on Wednesday, December 11, 1996:

As the eldest child, I know I speak for the entire family in expressing a heartfelt thank-you to our baby sister, Carol Tait, and her family for their sacrifice, love and devotion in caring for Mother under very trying circumstances. We love you, Carol, Carson, Cara, Chris and Sam. And to each one who prayed or ministered to Mother and our family in any way, we are so grateful and appreciate your thoughtfulness more than you'll ever know. We could never repay your kindness, so we're asking the Lord to.

The color green represents immortality. I'm wearing green for Mother this morning. She did not want her service to dwell on sadness about her death, but for everyone to be happy for her and celebrate her life here and her eternal life with her Lord and her family in heaven. She said to tell you today, "I'm sure I'm with (my son) Steve and my family, and they're welcoming me to my new Home." Mother asked that someone read the poem she wrote to Steve after his death at age 23 in a car accident with his baby son, Spike, and then say to everyone from her, "Now I understand."

STEVE, RUNNING FREE
I hear a voice within my heart; it rings out loud and clear,
To tell me of my Father's Love, and how He holds you near.
I see a star up in the sky and watch the moon so bright,
And think about you, running free, away from all the fright.
I thank my Father every day for sending you to me,
For all the joy you brought to our whole family.

Steve and Shawna's first child, Sondra, was born unexpectedly while they were visiting Mother, and she was proud to be able to tell everyone, "I named Sondra." It was a special moment when Sondra's baby son, K.J. -- Steve's first grandchild -- was placed in Mother's arms recently, moving her to tears.
Favorite family memories include: Everyone crowding into Mother's one-room apartment, and the floor being covered with sleeping bodies. The tiny closet in that apartment that miraculously produced so many new toys on such a regular basis that it is remembered as the "Toy Closet." The trips to Circus Circus for kids and grandkids. Equal treatment received by grandkids and step-grandkids alike. "Buffer Tag" -- a game invented by Mother for Steve, Carol and Carl, and mysteriously only allowed when she applied paste wax to her floors and needed children on towels to buff them. Mother's trip to see her cousins in North Carolina with Donna in 1987 after a 35-year absence. The controversy about Mother's heart condition between she and Carol that raged until the day before she was promoted to glory. On that day, Carol threw in the towel and admitted, "Mom, you're right. Your heart is strong. I was wrong." It sounded like Mother laughed in response.

Until we meet again some glad day in Glory, I have lost not only my mother, but my Sister-in-Christ, my friend and confidante. While it's true that Mother strengthened me with her prayers, blessed me with her love, and encouraged me with her hope, she also had her moments, proving that Christians aren't perfect, but we are forgiven. It's also true that, for most of her life, one of her favorite pastimes was gambling; but, to her credit, as she examined her life and set her house in order, she repented of gambling, once she clearly saw that it wasn't pleasing to the Lord, and announced to her family that she would never gamble again.

She also wrote a letter: "To the ones I love . . . I don't want you to ever go through what I'm going through now, as I fight for my life against lung cancer caused by first- and second-hand smoke from cigarettes . . . I smoked for more than 35 years before quitting 13 years ago after a diagnosis of lung cancer from one doctor and pneumonia from another. I finally decided then that I could never smoke again . . . Now we know that the damage had already been done . . . If you love me as much as I love you, let what I am suffering serve a purpose, and let that purpose be the reason you stopped using tobacco or the reason why you never started."

Mother joined the Baptist Church and was baptized at twelve years of age in a white robe by Rev. Sprinkle in Core Sound off the Atlantic Ocean near Davis, NC, while everyone sang, "Shall We Gather at the River." Her affiliation with that denomination for the rest of her life culminated with her joining the local Body of Christ here in Lyman. Just before taking this step, she believed that she received a revelation from God about the importance of honoring the Blood and the Cross of Jesus Christ, for it is only through the Cross that we can come to Jesus.

She was born October 6, 1926 in Vandemere, NC to Samuel Chauncey Willis and Alta Dee Edwards Willis. She was raised on the eastern shore of NC in Vandemere, Davis, Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, and Fort Macon, NC.
She was captain of her high school basketball team, and her love and knowledge of the game and players continued to the end--a love shared by me and many in our family.

She sang with a band, got a few modeling assignments, including posing with President Truman's convertible limousine (used by three Presidents), and was a bookkeeper, cook and waitress. She spent most of her life in Las Vegas, NV. She worked in the presence of sports and movie celebrities as a waitress at the Las Vegas Country Club and on the set of the movie, "The Greatest Story Ever Told," about the life of Jesus. As a US Marine Corps wife to her first husband, she lived in New Bern, Tarawa Terrace in Camp LeJeune, and Cherry Point, NC; Quantico, VA; and Camp Pendleton, CA. She followed construction with her second husband to numerous towns in Arizona and Nevada. (Repeated info from bio deleted here).

Bea on a modeling assignment, circa 1946, in Washington, D.C. with Presidential Limousine.

Her sister-in-law, Betty Bloxton, let Bea borrow her new blue dress to wear in the photograph, and she addressed the photograph "To Donna & Bobby, Love, Mother" -- her two oldest children.

Beatrice Lea Willis (Mrs. Robert C. Bloxton, Sr.), posing with the "The Queen Mary" 1938 Cadillac V-16 Presidential Convertible Parade Limousine, Special Fleetwood Job #9006, SO (“Special Order”) 2644, used by THREE PRESIDENTS: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Chassis no. 5270075, Body #2 (of 2) specially built limousines for White House use.

In 1938, FDR was halfway through his second of four terms. It was in this climate that Cadillac and its coachworks Fleetwood were charged with Special Job 9006: two virtually identical 16-cylinder open limousines to be constructed on a massive, stretched 165-inch wheelbase (11 inches longer than a standard V-16 Cadillac!) and delivered to the White House for use by President Roosevelt.

Cadillac’s second-generation V-16 had just been introduced. While the first generation 16 and its V-12 stable-mate had been 45-degree overhead valve designs, the new engine was a 135-degree L-head, developing 135 hp from 431 cubic inches. Each bank had its own distributor, carburetor and manifolds. The engine was six inches shorter, 13 inches lower and 250 pounds lighter than its overhead valve predecessor and had significantly fewer parts. Nevertheless, it developed the same power despite its smaller displacement.

Sharing chassis and bodies with the V-8-engined Series 75, the Series 90 Sixteen was offered in 14 body styles, all by Fleetwood, Cadillac’s in-house coachbuilding company. This sharing was enabled by the compact dimensions of the engine, which could be tucked under the firewall, permitting a shorter car without loss of interior space. Its styling was the work of William J. Mitchell, the young designer who had penned the dramatic Sixty Special.

Both the 9006 cars built for use by the White House, chassis 5270064 and 5270075 (the car presented here), were reportedly built with armor-plating and weighed in at a massive 8,000 lbs. Furthermore, they were equipped with special running boards, grab handles, communication equipment, special compartments for firearm storage, sirens and lights to accommodate their Presidential duties.

Leased by Cadillac to the U.S. government, both cars were used through 1956 as part of the White House fleet to carry Secret Service agents or directly chauffeur the President. One was nicknamed the “Queen Mary” (this car, chassis 5720075) and the other “Queen Elizabeth,” a lighthearted reference to the large cruise ships of the same name. Period photos clearly show President Roosevelt being chauffeured in one of the two cars. Roosevelt also had the Ford “Sunshine Special” at his disposal, and the “Queens” were instrumental in transporting agents in his motorcade.

Following FDR’s death, the “Queens” were enlisted for use by the Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower administrations as well. Truman took delivery of two Lincoln “Bubbletop” Limousines in 1950, but both Cadillacs remained in the official fleet.

Over the course of their use by the Government, they were returned to Cadillac from time to time to be updated and rebuilt as necessary. In 1946, following the end of WWII, the V-16 engines were replaced with L-head V-8s, which in turn were replaced by 331-cubic inch OHV V-8s in 1952. The Queen Mary still retains its OHV V-8 that was installed in the early 1950s.

TALLMAN COLLECTION

Following its use by the White House, the Queen Mary was purchased directly from Cadillac by Mr. Jack Tallman, a third-generation Cadillac dealer from Decatur, Illinois. RM Auctions spoke with Mr. Tallman prior to his recent passing, and he recalled having fond memories of his ownership of this car. He remembered visiting the factory as a young boy with his father, who was also a Cadillac dealer, and seeing both ’38 Presidential Cadillacs being worked on from time to time. It was his hope as a young man to buy one, if not both, of these cars.

According to Mr. Tallman, every few years, the cars were brought back to Cadillac, the bodies were removed, and the chassis and running gear were thoroughly gone over. He witnessed this work being carried out at the factory on more than one occasion. Given postwar supply shortages, V-16 engines were not only costly but quite difficult to rebuild, and Mr. Tallman suggested this was the initial reason for the installation of the flathead V-8. Flathead replaced in 1950s by OHV V-8 (better mileage). Once the opportunity to buy one of these Presidential Cadillacs presented itself in 1956, Mr. Tallman inspected both cars and chose the Queen Mary.

It was used through 1956 re-election of Pres. Eisenhower; then Mr. Tallman had it photographed on the street in front of the White House.

The Tallman family owned it for over 40 yrs, adding 30,000-40,000 miles. It participated in many VMCCA, AACA & CCCA tours (badges visible in passenger compartment & on front bumper. Mr. Tallman also acquired a 1956 Cadillac Presidential Limousine, both of which were favorites at family events.

The engine was overhauled in his ownership, and selective restoration work was conducted, namely to the interior. The badly deteriorated leather upholstery was replaced with vinyl to replicate the original and was originally intended to complement the Midnight Blue finish of the car, a color combination that reflected the Presidential Seal. Since that time, the car has been refinished in limousine-appropriate black and is distinguishable from its sister car by virtue of this color change.

Acquired in Indiana by Al Wiseman of Tarpon Springs, FL in May 1999 from Mr. Tallman.

At the famed 2002 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, awarded the best original & unrestored automobile. Jan 2012 auctioned by Estate of John O’Quinn, complete with replica pistols & rifles, 2 telephones, gun holsters, fender-mounted red siren, step plates, grab-handles & original 1956 D.C. registration sticker on the windshield.

McKinley was the first U.S. President to ride in an automobile in 1899, but it was not until 1909 that one entered the White House stables. Teddy Roosevelt rode in automobiles, but as a horseman he had no use for a personal car. Taft purchased a White Model M steam car in Feb 1909, a 48 hp Pierce-Arrow in Feb & a 38 hp Pierce for Mrs. Taft in April. Pierce-Arrows served White House needs for the ensuing years.

Presidential limousines, symbols of American military and political power & importance of the Executive Branch, they are viewed by adoring crowds from Inauguration Day to the end of a President’s term.

Unlike their successors, which were flown to their destinations, the Queens Mary and Elizabeth were driven across the country to meet the President as he arrived by airplane. This accounts for their substantial original mileage & replacement of engines.

The Queen Mary was chosen for its superior condition & lower mileage than the Queen Elizabeth with only three private owners since 1956. It lived through WWII, Korean War & 3 presidents.

March, 1943, in Davis, North Carolina. Bea posing with her fiance's USMC uniform in her daddy's back yard. They were just teenagers (she was 16), but he was going overseas (WWII). Bob Bloxton labeled this photo "Sweet Sarge," and they were married in nearby Morehead City, NC, in her Uncle Tommy & Aunt Daisy Willis' home in April, 1943. Her cousin decorated their home with Dogwood blossoms for the wedding (which Bea always said were picked illegally).

Bea & Bob -- Mr. & Mrs. Robert Conway Bloxton, Sr. -- in Morehead City, NC.
Caption for Bea wearing Bob's uniform cap & coat:
March, 1943, in Davis, North Carolina. Bea posing with her fiance's USMC uniform in her daddy's back yard. They were just teenagers (she was 16), but he was going overseas (WWII). Bob Bloxton labeled this photo "Sweet Sarge," and they were married in nearby Morehead City, NC, in her Uncle Tommy & Aunt Daisy Willis' home in April, 1943. Her cousin decorated their home with Dogwood blossoms for the wedding (which Bea always said were picked illegally).

Bea, age 9 in 1935, and her mother, Alta Dee Edwards Willis, of Vandemere, NC, who died in 1936, age 33, when Bea was not quite 10. Alta was the Davis, NC, School Principal.

Alta & Chauncey's only child, Beatrice Lea "Bea" Willis, in 1935, the year before Alta died (Typhoid fever was the cause on her card at the courthouse, but her daughter always insisted Alta had been bitten by a tick while camping and died of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever).

Bea was raised with her "adopted" brother, Charles Clarence Mayo, whose mother went blind and died shortly after giving birth to Charles.