Willie Lee Stokes Jr.

Willie Lee Stokes Jr. was born to Willie Lee Stokes Sr. and Dianne Stokes on January 5, 1971, in Waterloo, Iowa. He was the eldest of three children, preceding his brother Isaac and sister Melissa. Willie spent most of his early life in Minnesota. (Though after years of living in Atlanta, he later remarked that he no longer missed the Minnesota winters.) Before settling in Atlanta, Georgia in 1985, he and his family lived in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Willie began high school in 1985, and during his high school years, he befriended Bryan Payne, Alexjandro Alexander, Thomas DeCarlo Callaway-Burton (CeeLo Green), Quincy Martin, Torrence Widgett, and Wendell Allen (deceased) and Archie Hall (DJ Swift). They called themselves GA Styles (Successful Teens Why Look Elsewhere) and remain friends til this day. He graduated from Tri-Cities High School in 1990. Willie was a passionate chef. He perfected his culinary skills at Sylvia’s, Daily’s, and Mick”s in Midtown Atlanta. And for over 10 years he worked in food service for Piedmont Health Systems. It is through cooking that Willie found love. He met Pedra Bailey in 2001 while working at Sylvia’s as a sous chef; he had gone into the Bank of America where she worked to make daily deposits. After being friends for some time, they began a romantic relationship in 2005 and married the following year. They welcomed two sons, Kenneth, and Keaton, in 2008 and 2011, respectively. While in high school, Willie got bitten by the music bug. He began collecting vinyl records and amassed quite a collection. As a result of his love of music, Willie started to hone his skills as a DJ. He started disc jockeying for local clubs and parties under the monicker DJ Will. Willie also loved football; he was a diehard fan of the Atlanta Falcons. He also loved Star Wars, Marvel and DC Comics, and video games, with the God of War and Mortal Kombat series being among his favorites. Also among his interests were firearms. He enjoyed going to the shooting range with his wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and brother. Willie recently wanted to explore and nurture his spiritual life. He and his family joined St. Philip AME Church in 2023. Willie was preceded in death by his father, Willie Stokes Sr., and cousin/sister Fonda Williams. He is survived by his wife Pedra, their two sons Kenneth and Keaton, mother Mrs. Dianne, sister Melissa, brother Isaac, Aunts Beverly, Pamela, and Alice, his mother and father-in-law Jonathan and Valerie, and brothers-in-law Jelani. Jabari and Tyrone, nephews Issac Jr and Stanley, three nieces Amaya, Jaslin, and Jenna, Ms. Vanessa Widget, goddaughters Azari and Askya, and a host of relatives and friends. Willie loved family and always found joy in attending family events and gatherings. From eating out every Friday with his wife and boys to getting together with his in-laws for Christmas Eve, Willie cherished family more than anything. He will be remembered for that love as well as his passion, humor, wisdom, and zest for life.

Tributes

Willie Lee Stokes Jr.

January 5, 1971 - February 3, 2024