Deese, Willie
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Deese, Willie
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Willie Deese was a self-employed farmer and dedicated maintenance worker at Davidson College, working for the school during the Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras up until his death in 1972.
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Born in Union County, North Carolina on July 31, 1903, Willie Deese was the son of Sarah Caldwell Deese and Rufus Deese. Much of his early history is unknown, as unfortunately details surrounding his education, exact birthdate, and early employment is undocumented. However, various documents suggest that he had at least an eighth-grade education.
He was happily married to his wife Susie Deese. Together, they had two sons and a daughter: John L. Deese, Fred Deese, and Ophelia Alexander. Both of his sons eventually worked for the college as well. Fred Deese, specifically, worked as a janitor in the student union where he was well-regarded.
Willie Deese was a part-time employee of the college. He began assisting as a maintenance worker for the school’s athletic departments in 1953. He was also a farmer who tended to his own plot of land in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. In 1964, he began working for the school full-time. He helped to maintain the tennis courts in the athletic complex, and became a valued member within the Davidson College community.
Deese worked for Davidson College up until his death on March 25, 1972. He was buried a week later at the Torrence Chapel AME Zion Cemetery.
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July 31, 1903
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March 25, 1972
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Fred Deese, son and college employee
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“Willie Deese,” The Charlotte News, March 30, 1972, 18.
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“Willie Deese Dies In Auto Accident,” The Davidsonian, March 31, 1972, 7.
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“Death Certificate of Willie Deese,” in North Carolina, U.S. Deaths Certificates, 1909- 1976 [database on-line], Ancestry.com
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“Fred Deese Sweeps Memories: 23 Years on the Job,” The Davidsonian, March 25, 1983, 1.
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