The football player from Alabama State University walked into Roshell’s Café & Diner on Mobile’s Springhill Avenue when he was 21 years old and looking for a job. He got it and worked there until his dying day, which was on March 24.
Over the course of 32 years, Charles “Buff” Willis became perhaps the Most Valuable Player of the iconic Mobile eatery.
One frequent diner at Roshell’s came to know Buff. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson gave this tribute in his weekday email, “The Nightly Newsletter with Mayor Sandy Stimpson:”
I want to ... honor a man who greeted many Mobilians as they sat down to lunch or dinner over the past three decades. Charles “Buff” Willis passed away Monday. A longtime employee at Roshell’s, Willis will be remembered fondly by the owners and patrons of the diner, including me, as a genuinely kind man who never forgot a face.
Charles came to Roshell’s in the early ’90s after finishing at Alabama State University, where he also played football. In the three decades he worked at the diner, Charles displayed a sparkling personality and incredible work ethic. Alex Flowers and his mother, Roshell, considered Charles a member of their family, and I’m sure the numerous customers who got to know him over the years feel the same. I hope you’ll join me in praying for Charles’s family and the team at Roshell’s during this difficult time.
Roshell Flowers, the face and voice of the café and diner, gave the following tribute:
We are absolutely heartbroken to share the sudden passing of Charles Willis on Monday night.
It seems impossible to put our emotions into words. Whether you’ve been coming in for the entire 32 years that Charles has been here, or if you just found us in the last few, you know how much Charles meant to everyone. He was truly one of a kind, and 52 years simply wasn’t enough time.
For those that don’t know, Charles walked in looking for work at the age of 21 after moving back home from Alabama State, where he played football. He had played QB at Shaw for Coach Terry Curtis, who Mack and Roshell had known since high school, so they found a spot for him. It didn’t take long for Charles (or Buff, as his childhood friends know him) to show that he had the personality and work ethic to fit in perfectly. Charles never met a stranger, and he treated everyone with dignity and respect.
He didn’t just work here. Charles has been with us through the best times in our lives, and through the worst. He became a part of our family. And in those 32 years he built strong and lasting friendships with many of you. Some of you even remember the many years when his mother, Mrs. Deloris Willis, ran the register for us. We truly were a family, and it won’t be the same without him here.
Many have asked how they can help, so we've set up a memorial fund (link below) in order to help the family deal with the financial stress of this sudden loss. We will also be accepting donations for the family at the restaurant. Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated.
Thirty-two years on the job. The same job. Buff Willis was not just preparing food — he was serving people.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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