Joseph Byrd Willey
July 19, 1924 — July 22, 2012
Joseph Byrd Willey, Sr., 88 of Woolford passed away on Sunday, July 22, 2012 at Mallard Bay Care Center. He was born in Seward, Maryland on July 19, 1924 and was a son of the late Joe and Stella Olivia Mills Willey.
Byrd lived in Dorchester County his entire life and attended schools in Cambridge. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December of 1941 and was discharged in 1945 at the rank of Quartermaster 1st class. On December 31, 1946, he married the former Ruth Lovinia Brannock who passed away on September 28, 2007. Byrd lived in Woolford for the last 40 years. He was known for selling vegetables mainly at the Woolford Store. He worked in retail sales most of his life, many years as a manager of Highley's Liquor Store (First Chance/Last Chance) in Trappe.
He is survived by a daughter Anna Ruth Quenneville of Wye Mills, two sons Joseph Byrd Willey, Jr. and wife Alma of Easton and John H. Willey and wife Kathryn of Hurlock, three grandsons Joe Willey and wife Kristen of Princess Anne, Michael Willey and Bryan Willey both of Hurlock, a granddaughter Jennifer Fulton and husband Jason of Bridgeville, DE, six great grandchildren Aaron Fulton, Will Fulton, Jack Willey, Gabriel Willey, Nate Willey, Liam Willey, two brothers Levi Willey of Fruitland and Guy Willey of Cambridge, two sisters Anna Mae Marsh of Cambridge and Ruth Evans of Ocean Pines and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides his parents and his wife, Byrd is preceded in death by three sisters Edna Wheatley, Helen Walk and Ruby Abbott and a brother Ray Willey.
A family will receive friends Thursday evening, July 26th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. in Cambridge. Interment will be held at a later time at the Maryland Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery near Hurlock.