Willie Mae was the fifth of five children born to Mattie and Earnest Taylor, on November 11, 1926 in Greenwood, Louisiana. She accepted Christ at an early age attending Greenwood Baptist Church. She migrated to California in the 1940s with her Aunt Mary and Sister Sammie Lee. She joined and remained a faithful member of Bethel Baptist Church being involved in the Ruth Circle and the November Birthday Club.
On August 7, 1961, she married Napoleon Hunt bringing with her a son Tommy Lee and daughter Darlene and him a son Napoleon Jr. from previous unions. Their love for children led them to become foster parents to thirty-four children, with over 15 years of service. After 30 years, some still call them Mom and Dad. In 1965 they adopted a son Robert Hunt. Continuing her mentoring of children, she also served as a Brownie and Girl Scout Troops Leader.
She became employed by San Diego City Schools as a teacher’s aide, where she served at various schools working in the home economics and restaurant operations department until retirement. She was a member of the Salon La Boutique des Huit Chapeaux et Quarante Femmes and a dedicated member of the Dennis T. Williams American Legion Post 310 serving in many positions, including Auxiliary President.
Willie Mae surprisingly loved camping and fishing and could spend hours on jig saw, crossword and word search puzzles, as well as sewing. She loved gardening and going to the strawberry & pea fields to pick fresh produce. She was a supreme baker being coined “The Cobbler Queen” as her peach cobbler melted in your mouth.
After an extended illness, Willie Mae was called Home May 25, 2021. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Sammie Lee Gatling, Earnestine Beechum, Johnnie Taylor and Albert Taylor, Sr; husband Napoleon Hunt, Sr.; sons Robert Hunt and Napoleon Hunt, Jr. and granddaughter Sherri Hunt-Pate.
She leaves to cherish her memory son Tommy Lee Traveler, Sr.(Bridgette), daughter Darlene Sampson, 8 grandchildren Tommy Traveler, Jr.(Shangranda), John Hunt, Sr.(Leanita), Timothy Hunt, Michael Hunt(Tammala), Jeanetta Faye (Angel) Hunt, Tierra Hunt Bowden(Dexter), Ravelle Matthews, Felicia Adams; 17 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
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