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Life story

" Michael Lee Willey, known as "Willey" to all, was a fabulously talented chef with a successful 50 year career in the restaurant business. On top of all that, Willey made many a friend along the way because of his wonderful sense of humor and his natural born heart of gold.

Willey opened his first restaurant, "Willey's Fine VA BBQ" on Rt. 610 in North Stafford VA in March of 1992. In the summer of 1996 Willey's BBQ restaurant relocated permanently to Colonial Beach VA.

Willey has been collecting a long trail of devoted foodie fans beginning in Virginia's Prince William County (Charlie Brown's of Lakeridge), Stafford County ( Charlie's Too) (Willey's BBQ), and lastly Westmoreland County ( Willey's BBQ). Willey also spent 5 years of his career in the Daytona Beach area, with highlight stints at Pelican Bay Country Club, Plantation Bay Country Club, and at the famous North Turn on the Beach in Ponce Inlet.

In his rare down time, Willey enjoyed hunting and fishing, especially hunting in his earlier years alongside his father James Henry and his brother Mark. His all time favorite place to be was somewhere with a fishing pole and cold beer in his hands, be it on a boat, bank, beach, creek, pond, lake or.......mud puddle. Willey was also a life long Washington Redskin fan-a-tic.

Willey is forever loved dearly by his wife Trisha, whose bestfriendship and love began in 1981 (woop woop Charlie Brown's !!). Willey also leaves behind many, many people whose lives he has touched , including decades of co-workers, neighbors and very happy customers.

Rest in peace Michael Lee Willey... and know that the world was a better place while you were here in it. Also know that... your phenomenal food will be sorely missed in every place that you ever fired up a skillet, or a saute pan, or a soup pot or a smoker!"