Willie Randolph Church was born on July 29, 1935 in Franktown, Virginia. He was the son of the late Linwood Church and Lillian Gunter.

Willie attended school in the Northampton County Public School system and left high school early to help support the family in the work force. He was drafted and served in the United States Army from June 26, 1958 to June 15, 1960, where he served in Europe. At the end of his enlistment, he was Honorably Discharged.

Willie was married to Helen Yvonne Waters on August 15, 1966. They were married for 58 years and their union was blessed with one daughter, Sherri Church born in Bronx, New York. While in New York City, he worked as a Mass Transit bus driver.

Willie moved his family back to Pocomoke, Maryland and started working for Holly Farms, which later became Tyson Foods, as a forklift operator and long-haul truck driver until his retirement. After his retirement, he decided to become an entrepreneur. He started his own trucking business of W. R. Church Trucking. Willie stayed busy and was always traveling the highways and byways. He loved being on the road and driving his rig. His trucker CB handle was “Chopsticks.”

Willie was well known everywhere he visited. He was affectionately known as “Church,” “Boopee,” or “Brother.” He loved listening to music and dancing, eating crabs, playing cards, playing pool, and watching sports on television, especially boxing.

After talking to him on the phone, or in person, he wouldn’t hang up the phone or walk away before saying his famous line “10-4,” “Over and Out,” and “Roger That.” He also loved to play the lottery. If he couldn’t make it there, he would ask you to play his favorite lottery numbers for him. He didn’t hit the Mega Million, but did pretty good most of the times.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Linwood Church and Lillian Gunter; grandparents, Hattie and Elijah Gladstone; and brothers, Welton Church and Charlie Six.

His survivors include: his loving wife of 58 years, Helen Yvonne Church, who was by his side and held his hand as he transitioned; two daughters, Sherri Church of Salisbury, MD and Patricia Burris (Houston, Sr.) of Felton, DE; one son, Vincent Garrett, Sr. (Tanya) of Warner Robins, GA; six grandchildren, Houston, Jr., LaFaye, Hamilton, Johnathan, Denise, and Vincent, Jr.; nine great-grandchildren, Bryan, Jr., Zhania, Aiden, Anjene, Jahkai, Nathaniel, Dakota, Azaria, and Brooklyn; brother, John Mapp (Mary) of Yeadon, PA; four nephews, Alvin Justis (Carmel) of Atlantic, VA, Barry Waters (Yvette King) of New Church, VA, Adrian Justis (Aves) of Pocomoke, MD, and John Mapp, Jr. of Yeadon, PA; three nieces, Crystal Justis (Paige Conquest) of Pocomoke, MD, Lillie Collins (Van) of Birdnest, VA, and Tina Johnson (Leroy) of Princess Anne, MD; godson, Albert Ames; goddaughters, Annette Ayers, Shondell Holland, and Beverly Greene, all of Pocomoke, MD; and a host of other relatives and friends.

God saw you getting tired,

and a cure was not to be.

He put his arms around you and whispered,

“Come and go with me.”

Sorrowfully submitted,

The Family