Marion "David" Willis

Marion “David” Willis was born at Blackwell General Hospital, Blackwell Oklahoma on April 24, 1950 to James David (Jim) and Patricia Willis. Raised on East McKinley with Grandparents James “Harvey” and Sabina Willis next door and Great grandparents Joe Crawford and Eva Willis across the alley, David found lots of little boy things to do like take apart the natural gas meter with his new tool kit.

In May of 1955, he rode out the F5 tornado that severely damaged their house and a great many others by huddling under his parent’s bed while mom, dad and younger sister Yvonne were under the nearby bunk beds. He spent his young years mechanicing with dad as his mechanical aptitude grew. David rode a red Cushman scooter during his early teen years which led to a lifelong passion of motorcycles.

He worked for Uncle Max and Aunt Mary Ann Sullins on the farm for much of his teen summers making fond lifetime memories. In 1967, David followed in Dad’s vocational footsteps as a conventional machinist in the J.E Warren Machine Shop. Graduating Blackwell High School with the Class of 1968, he continued his employment at the machine shop till he enlisted and went into the US Navy. He served as a machinist on both the USS Hugh Purvis and the USS Spear. Honorably Discharged in 1973, David returned to Blackwell and worked again for J.E. Warren.

One of his favorite projects was to machine new parts for the owner of a collection of gigantic Case Steam Engine tractors and help keep them running for the annual Pawnee OK. Steam and Gas Engine Show. He became a member of MENSA in the early 1980’s where he met the love of his life, Chifra Holt. Trained in modern dance and ballet, Chifra performed in New York City and started the School of Dance at Wichita State University, Wichita Kansas. Capturing his heart and exposing him to more cultural things than he had ever experienced, they moved to Fremont California and married on May 19, 1984. A few years later, they moved to Corona California where he was the shop manager of Riverside Machine Works in Riverside California.

Beginning in Blackwell, David’s love for motorcycle racing increased. First, he flat tracked on region racetracks such as 81 Speedway in Wichita. While in Fremont California, he competed in motorcycle drag racing. Finally finding his niche after moving to Corona, David began to compete for land speed records on El Mirage dry lakebed with the Southern California Timing Association. In 1994, he set a land speed record with the SCTA on a RZ 350 Yamaha on pump gas of 148.87 mph. That record still holds today. He made many runs down the El Mirage course on several different bikes and set the racecourse for many years till ill health prevented him from doing so. Shooting and reloading a variety of pistols and rifles was also something he found pleasure in.

David was a member and participating competitor in the Corona Sportsman’s Club. After retirement he began to volunteer at the Corona Police Department on the firing range. As a range volunteer, he easily shared his expertise to the officers and helped them with their skills. Volunteering at the range gave him purpose to keep moving and fighting while battling with cancer. David passed from this world on April 28, 2023 after a five year battle with multiple myeloma which is a blood cancer. He is survived by Chifra Holt Willis, daughter Eve Jaffe and husband Glenn, granddaughter Rachel and husband Jordan, and granddaughter Erica Jaffe. Sisters include Yvonne (Derral) Krebbs and Brenda (Melvin) Osburn, of Blackwell, Oklahoma