Former business and advertising manager of The Daily Helmsman Bob Willis died at the age of 73 on Jan. 17 from lung complications and was laid to rest Monday at Second Presbyterian Church. Willis had been on the staff of the University of Memphis’ journalism department for 21 years, joining the university in 1996. He is survived by his wife Candy Justice, who is the general manager of The Helmsman, two children and three grandchildren. News of Willis’ death was met with sadness from friends, family and current and former students.
“I can’t tell you how many times this sweet man let me cry my eyes out in his office about being stressed in school and he ALWAYS was there to listen and give advice. I’ll remember that always.” — former advertising student Loghan Laufenberg
“Terribly sad to hear this news. We will keep Bob’s family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. Bob will be missed by all in the U of M family.” — U of M president M. David Rudd
“RIP to a true champion of the U of Memphis newspaper — and any student that worked for it. Recall many conversations we had late night about Tiger basketball in Helmsman offices. He’ll be missed.” — former Helmsman sports editor and Memphis radio host John Martin
“When I first heard the news, I kept it together as best I could, but now I’m fully breaking down with tears. Bob was one of my biggest supporters and mentors. He believed in my potential before I did. I’m thankful to have met him, and I’ll miss him dearly.” — Helmsman sports editor Jeremiah Graham
“The news of Bob’s passing feels sudden. Out of nowhere. Shocking. Devastating. He and Candy were our champions in college. Champions of us as reporters, of us as students and of us as people. Each Christmas they invited the staff to their home, where they cooked and told stories, and we made jokes about their three-legged dog before opening white elephant gifts. The unspoken game was to see which newbies had no clue until then that Candy Justice and Bob Willis were married. (I’ll admit, I was that newbie my first year!) Many days I’d stop by Bob’s office on my way out of Meeman for what I said would be a quick chat, and 30 minutes or an hour later I’d leave with a good story, a good laugh or some good advice. Bob was always happy and sincere. He was kind, but not so kind he wouldn’t leave a freshly marked up copy of The Daily Helmsman with mistakes circled in red ink on my editor’s desk each morning. I’ve never seen two people love each other as much as he and Candy. They complete each other. I’ve never seen two people back their students, without hesitation no matter what it meant for their own careers, as much as he and Candy. They complete The Helmsman. There’s a picture from my wedding day of my parents escorting me down the aisle and to the left Bob stands with a genuine, full-face grin. He was always like that. Always smiling. Always genuine. We love you Bob. We love you Candy. Your DH kids will be there to remember you and to say goodbye. A goodbye we never wanted to say.” — 2012 Helmsman editor-in-chief Chelsea Boozer
Letter to the editor
From fall 2017 editor-in-chief Gus Carrington
Bob Willis told me I had a “knack” for news writing at the end of my first journalism banquet shortly after I was introduced to him. I will never forget that. I hadn’t met the man before that night, but he had already read my writing.
This was because Bob wasn’t just the business and advertising manager of The Helmsman — he was a fan of the paper and an enthusiastic supporter of its student contributors, too. He was a kind and thoughtful pillar of the campus community, and Meeman Journalism Building won’t be the same without his yellow beetle parked beside it.
As editor-in-chief of The Helmsman last semester, I worked closer to Bob than I ever had before. This past semester he’d come to me with the blank ad-mockup of the next day’s Daily Helmsman and he, more than anyone, would get to see me twiddle my beard while I attempted to make educated decisions like whether or not we could stretch our content to eight or 12 or even 16 pages. It felt really good when I knew I could tell him we were opting for a bigger paper, especially on our last day.
He’d often catch me uploading stories on Fridays when no one else was in the newsroom, and we’d talk briefly before wishing each other a good weekend. I also learned this past semester that we shared a mutual appreciation for the timeless music of Huey Lewis & The News.
Bob had a silly side. During the annual game of “White Elephant” at a Helmsman Christmas party a couple years ago, another student won a coffee mug that was shaped like a toilet (Mr. Willis had bought that mug for the game.) When I saw it, deep inside I knew I wanted that toilet mug. Now I have no idea how he knew that the mug caught my eye, but just before I left the party, Bob asked me to hold back a minute. He soon returned from another room with a second toilet-shaped coffee mug — still in the box — just for me. Somehow he understood that I would appreciate it. Somehow he knew I had a silly side, too. Every time I’ve used that mug I’ve thought of Bob, and every time I use it in the future I will continue to think back on that night, that party and that man’s kindness.
One of the last conversations I had with Bob Willis took place while he was dropping me off next to my car in the Central parking lot, a normal routine for The Daily Helmsman workday. He asked me if I had any plans after graduation, and I braced myself for the same blank stares I’d been getting from other adults when I nervously admitted I hadn’t really landed anything yet. Instead, Bob was the first and only person to stress patience, reassure me that passing my classes should be my first priority and tell me that I was bound to be successful wherever I went.
He told me he “really felt” I was great writer and, above all, a “great communicator.” He told me all the things I needed to hear as a soon-to-be graduate that no one else was really saying. I’m not sure anyone else could have phrased it the way he did — Bob was a great communicator, too. He never stopped supporting my “knack” for writing and wherever I end up in the future, I’ll take a sip from my toilet-shaped coffee mug and thank Bob Willis for his thoughtful support.
Business and advertising manager of The Daily Helmsman Bob Willis died from lung complications Wednesday afternoon at Methodist University Hospital, according to his family. Willis taught in the public relations field at the University of Memphis since 1996. He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and taught at Boston College and the University of Wisconsin before coming to Memphis. Our staff's thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time. Funeral arrangements have not yet been set, but The Helmsman will post updates as they are available.
