By The Willoughby Family
Ola Parker Willoughby was born in Reidsville, N.C., on Nov. 14, 1920. and grew up in Wilcoe, W.V. She graduated from Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C. in 1942. Mrs. Willoughby relocated to Arlington, Va. in 1946, with her late husband Sam. She worked for the U.S. Marine Corps as a civilian for 30 years, retiring in 1976 as a supervisory military personnel officer.
In her 75 years as an Arlington resident, Mrs. Willoughby has served her church and community in many capacities. For 73 years she has served in numerous capacities in Mount Zion Baptist Church and currently serves as a Church Mother. In 1978, she was appointed to the Arlington County Civil Service Commission and served as the Commission’s first African-American chairperson from 1983 to 1986. Mrs. Willoughby served on the Northern Virginia Urban League Advisory Committee for 20 years and also has served on numerous other boards, commissions and committees, in the metropolitan Washington area, and has been an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., for more than 75 years.
Mrs. Willoughby was married to the late Sam E. Willoughby for more than 59 years and has one daughter.
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