Willie Lavada Mccullough

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Obituary for Willie Lavada McCullough

Willie Lavada McCullough, was born in Boley, Oklahoma to Willie and Ethel Brown on March 18, 1937. Willie being the first child of Willie and Ethel Brown, was supposed to be a boy, hence her first name was Willie, but to most of her friends she was known by her middle name Lavada or "Vate" by her siblings.

Willie grew up and received her early education in the rural town of Boley and later went on to attend Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma. After graduation, Willie went to Witchita, Kansas and taught school for a very short time before heading to the big city of Los Angeles, California where she stayed with her Uncle Will and his wife.

Willie soon found employment at the Veterans Administration in Los Angeles, California and there she met the love of her life, James McCullough. The two were married in 1961 and this union produced two sons Lydell and Azzario. The couple remained married to the day of her passing, more than 53 years later.

Willie loved to travel and even embarked on a month long cross country trip with James and the kids by car in 1976. She also loved to travel by train, so she could see the sites and enjoy the open countryside. In 2011, she traveled with her family by train to San Francisco to celebrate her 50th
wedding anniversary. Her last major excursion was a family cruise to Alaska in 2013.

Willie's first love though, was the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. She was baptized into Christ at the early age of 12. You could always find Willie doing some project that promoted Christ or helping others less fortunate, especially children. After her retirement from Federal Government work for over 30 years, she found herself working for Easter Seals and after school programs so she could help kids. She also worked for a car dealership which she didn't care for too much, because she would often say "some of these people business practices are too dishonest for me."

Willie passed on to eternal rest on December 5, 2014, at her home after a long battle with illness. She was proceeded in death by her parents, and two brothers, Everett and Calvin Brown. She leaves to cherish her memories, her husband James, sons Lydell and Azzario, grandson Matthias, daughter-in-law Sonjia, sister Marian McBynum, brothers Stanley Brown, and Larry Brown all of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and brother Raymond Brown of Marietta, Georgia. She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, other family members, friends and loved ones.

We will all miss Willie, but one of her wishes was to see us all in Heaven together to praise God.