It all began on April 25, 1937, in Reform, Alabama, to loving parents Curt and Maxine McCrary. He was born Loshelton McCrary and later changed his name to Willie Joe McCrary. He went to school in Reform, AL. While attending Hopewell High School, he loved to sing and won a contest by singing "Mona Lisa."

Willie left Alabama, moved to Los Angeles, CA, while living with his aunt Shelvie. He became a member of El Bethel Methodist Church, where he served as the men's choir chaplain. Later, he met Charlene McDade, and they were married on March 3, 1960. In their years together, they had a blended family of six children.

Willie worked at Harold E. Peterson with his favorite cousin, Winston Groves. They were so close that they each bought motorcycles and rode their scared wives on the back of the motorcycles!

After living in Los Angeles, Willie and Charlene moved to Wichita, KS, for about a year, then returned to Los Angeles to get away from the cold winter. After a while, his brother Charles asked him to move to Tulsa, OK, and drive trucks for him.

Willie and Charlene eventually settled in North Tulsa. This is where they continued to raise their family and a host of grandkids, great grandkids, and great great grandkids. Willie joined World Won for Christ Church in his later years.

Willie drove trucks for his brother, Charles, at Tri-State Express. Then he drove for National Carriers. After that, he worked for Clarence L. Boyd as a heavy equipment operator for eight years. Willie left CL Boyd and bought his own truck. He then leased his truck to Gold Transit. While Wille was driving a truck, He was making money, and Charlene invested in houses. His company was named B.W. & C. McCrary Trucking Company. After some years, the next company he leased his truck to was Interstate Express. He retired from Interstate Express after his knees and body were tired from so much driving.

In his pastime, he loved to sing, tell jokes, and play spades with his favorite brother-in-law, Freddie. There was always a weekly call to his nieces and nephews, cousins, and other family members; he loved talking to them. If they weren’t calling him, he was calling them. His pastime was enjoying westerns from sunup to sundown. When anyone wanted some family history, they called Big Will. He had the memory of an elephant.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Curt and Maxine, and his siblings, Clera, Charles, Christine, Alvenus, Hattie, Helen, and James (aka Skip).

He leaves to Cherish: his wife Charlene, Tulsa, OK, son Eddie, Los Angeles, CA, daughter Letha, Tulsa, OK, son Shelton, Dallas, TX, son Reginald (Zenisha), Denver, CO, daughter Pebbles, Tulsa, OK, son Denard, Tulsa, OK; sister Juanita, Wichita, KS; nine grandkids: LaGues, TeYana, Jason, Whitney, Blake, Klayton, Kennard, Justin, and Jamee; 27 great grandkids; and eight great great grandkids and a host of nieces and nephews.

Mr. Willie Joe McCrary, in his 89th year of life, "quietly slumbered to Eternal Peace" on Thursday afternoon, April 30, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his loving family near his side.

The Sacred Hour for Willie will commence on Friday, May 15, 2026 at the Eleventh Hour in the 36th Street North Event Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Christian Committal will immediately follow the services in the Green Acres Memorial Gardens in Skiatook, Oklahoma.

You may order flowers: (918)687-7574 lakelandflorist. com