Willie Thomas McLendon departed this life early in the morning on October 5, 2025, at the age of 61 years old at the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center surrounded by his loving family.

Willie was born on December 15, 1963, in Wadesboro, NC to Marjorie Evans and the late Thomas McLendon, Sr. After graduating from North Forsyth High School in 1982, he served briefly in the US Navy.

He had a strong passion to live his best life every single day. He loved helping people and putting a smile on their faces; he loved his friends dearly and he loved God. Willie's greatest love of all was his family who he absolutely adored. He will always be remembered for his generous spirit, his sense of humor, his dance moves, his attire–clean, starched, and pressed. Lastly, Willie was an avid Dallas Cowboys and UNC Tarheels fan.

After returning home from his enlistment in the US Navy, Willie began his career in the hospitality industry where he worked for more than 35 years. Nearly 30 of those years, Willie worked at BLL Rotisserie Factory where the owners Simon Vicidomini and his wife Lucia Carannante became his second family; a family he loved and who loved him.

Willie is survived by his loving mother, Marjorie Evans, who he talked with every single day, his older brother Thomas, Jr. both of Winston-Salem, his baby sister, Angela (Charles) of Wake Forest, his nephews Rashem (Felicia) and Jaquan; great-nephew Rashem, Jr., Keion and Jalen; great-great nephews Drury-James, Devery, and Nyzear; his nieces Lindsay (his BFF), Vanessa (Drury), Shannon (Ruben), Charla (Lemonte); great-nieces Kayla, Caylah, and Zoria; great-great nieces Vivienne, Aliana, and YaMylah; lastly the love of Willie's life, his great niece/daughter Caleeyah, the one who had his whole heart. His aunts Louise, AnnLee, Daisy & Nezzie and a host of relatives. Willie had some very, very, very special chosen family and friends, too many to name; you all know who you are.

A Celebration of Life for Willie is being held Saturday, October 11, 2025, at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, 1400 Fitch St., Winston-Salem, NC at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions toward the homegoing arrangements as we celebrate Willie's life and legacy.