Doris Jean Butcher Matthews Willis of Fordsville, KY passed away on June 16, 2026, at the Calumet Trace Senior Living Community in Owensboro while under the care of Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky.
Doris was born on October 23, 1929 in Owensboro, Kentucky to the late William Leroy Butcher and Carrie C. (Dodson) Butcher. Doris regularly attended church services near her home, including Fordsville and Owensboro Christian Churches and Deanfield and Macedonia Baptist Churches. She graduated from Davies County High School and attended Western Kentucky University and Bethel Woman’s College. Doris worked as a quality control photographer at the General Electric vacuum tube plant in Owensboro and at the Ohio County Times newspaper as a photographic technician. She enjoyed many activities throughout her life. Gem and fossil hunting, jewelry making, quilting, sewing, gardening, canning, fishing and woodworking were just a few. Doris also belonged to a variety of local clubs and found time to do photography, dress making, and creating wedding cakes. Playing bluegrass music on her fiddle with friends and playing piano in church were among her favorite activities. During her life Doris had many adventures traveling across the United States and to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Rome, Paris and even served as assistant cook on an Ohio river tugboat. She enjoyed engaging with people and was a true bright spot in the universe, she will be missed.
Along with her parents, Doris was preceded in death by her first husband Wellington Virgil (WV) Matthews, her second husband Ron Willis; brothers David Rudy Butcher and William J (Jack) Butcher; and stepson Timothy Willis. Surviving family members include daughter Neffra Matthews and her husband Alan Bell of Lakewood, Colorado; stepsons Walter (Beth) Willis of Falls of Rough KY and Bruce (Jackie) Willis of Harned KY; stepdaughters Becky (Bob) Ballard of Owensboro KY and Doris Norwood of Fordsville, KY; nephews Bruce (Diane) Butcher of Fort Meyers Beach FL and Chris (Jo) Butcher of Altadena CA; niece Alice Adams of Owensboro KY; and all their children and grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 4pm Saturday, June 27, 2026 at Geary Funeral Home in Fordsville. Visitation will be from 3pm to service time at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Kentucky, 3419 Wathens Crossing, Owensboro, KY 42301.