Twilla Sue Willard died August 19, 2022, peacefully in her home after a chronic illness. She was 66.

Known as Twilla to her friends and Sue to her family, she was loved for her sense of humor and quick wit. Sue was born in Belen, New Mexico, to George C. Watkins and Myrtle Watkins, née Brooks. She was the youngest of Myrtle's 10 children. As her brothers and sister began their lives, Sue and her mother lived across the Southwest before moving to Tennessee, bringing her love of Tex-Mex and green chiles with her.

Eventually, Sue and her mother settled in Nashville where she graduated from Hume-Fogg High School (before it was a magnet school, as she liked to point out). While in Nashville, she met and married her husband of 45 years, Sam Willard Jr. The couple had two children, Michelle and Danny, whom they raised in Murfreesboro. Sue graduated from the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology-Shelbyville Nursing Program and cared for many patients as a nurse in Rutherford County. She retired from Community Care of Rutherford County. Although her health declined, she still enjoyed spending time with her family and making wise cracks.

She is survived by her husband, Sam Willard Jr., daughter Michelle (Erin) Willard of Nashville, son Danny (Debbie) Willard, grandchildren Luke and Maddie Willard all of Alexandria, brother Don Crawford and sister Peggy Gabbert, both of Texas, as well as a host of nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed.

A celebration of life and visitation will be held from 4:00-6:00 PM Friday, August 26, 2022 at Woodfin Memorial Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology-Shelbyville Nursing Program ( https://tcatshelbyville.edu/about/make-donation ) or Avalon Hospice (https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/KindredatHomeFoundationInc/KAHF.html).