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Arkansas native Willis, travel and environmental journalist, dies
well-known wildlife filmmakers and made the first of 33 journeys to Africa.
For her first book, “The Hominid Gang: Behind the Scenes in the Search for Human Origins”, Willis profiled prominent Kenyan conservationist Richard Leakey She also wrote “The Sand Dollar and The Slide Rule: Drawing Blueprints From Nature”. She wrote articles for Adventure Travel, Audubon, Connoisseur, Diversion, Outside, People, Natural History and The New York Times and served as Chief Contributor to Fodor’s Travel for their guides to Kenya and Tanzania. She served as senior publicist for the National Audubon Society and Earthwatch as well, and was on the Editorial Board of Swara Magazine for the East African Wildlife Society.
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A native of Watson (Desha County), she was a daughter of Robert, Jr., and Margaret Lee Willis.
Willis studied journalism at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville on a scholarship provided by The Dumas Clarion. After graduation she began her career in New York City at J. Walter Thompson (JWT), then the world’s largest ad agency. As Director of Programs and Press for the Survival Anglia Ltd. unit of British television, she promoted many
Willis traveled extensively over her lifetime. A member of The Explorers Club, later in life she used her travel experience to organize trips for others on a professional basis, leading tours for Lindblad Expeditions in China, and putting together personalized trips through Africa for small groups. She ultimately moved permanently to Kenya in 2016.
She is survived by brothers Robert Willis, III and Mickey Willis. No details on services have been announced.
