Andrea Lea Willett

Andrea Lea Willett, 72, a longtime resident of Tallahassee, passed away unexpectedly from complications of a recent surgery on Sunday, August 23. Andrea was born in Alton, Ill., in 1948. She graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville majoring in Education. While at SIUE, she met and married her husband, Michael. Andrea was a teacher in Illinois, Georgia, and Florida. While teaching, she earned her Master’s degree in Reading Education at the University of Central Florida. In 1999, she and her family moved to Tallahassee, where she continued her career at the Florida Department of Education and Leon County Schools serving both as the Director of School Improvement. After she retired, she became active in the Tallahassee Garden Club serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees since 2018. Andrea was a wonderful, loving wife and mother who genuinely cared about people. In her professional life, her dedication to helping children learn resulted in improving many lives. She enjoyed dancing, music, cooking, and gardening. She was well versed in sports and politics and enjoyed spirited debates about both. Her smile, quick wit, and laughter engaged anyone and everyone. She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and community. Andrea is survived by her adoring husband Michael Willett, to whom she was married for more than 50 years, and their loving son Sean Willett. Both reside in Tallahassee. She is survived by her mother Jean Frillman of Bethalto, Ill., brother Dann (Jean) Adair of North Branch, Minnesota, sisters Rita Kassing of Midway, Ill., Marta (William) Alagna of Seymour, Ill., Rebecca (Brian) Rippelmeyer of Belleville, Ill., sister-in-law Elizabeth Frillman and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by father William Adair, stepfather Lloyd Frillman, brother Robert Frillman, and brother-in-law Charles Kassing. The family will be receiving guests for a visitation at Bevis Funeral Home of Tallahassee (200 John Knox Rd.) on Monday, August 31, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. with funeral services to immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Tallahassee National Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. The service will be available to view live online at its scheduled time by clicking the above "Photos and Videos" tab. Staff members will be available to answer questions or help with technical issues at (850) 385-2193. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be sent to the Tallahassee Garden Club (507 N. Calhoun St., Tallahassee, FL 32301) or America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend (4446 Entrepot Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32310). Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com)

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Andrea Lea Willett

March 7, 1948 - August 23, 2020