Will Etta (Willie) Long was born January 14, 1918 to Harry L. and Roberta Fern Jordan Long, in Arkansas City, Kansas. She entered the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1938, where she earned a bachelor's degree on foreign languages, graduating in 1941. While at the university, Will Etta was a member of over twenty clubs, some of which she organized. She joined Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and held several offices in the organization. It was in college that she acquired the nickname "Willie." Willie Oates is known throughout Arkansas and the nation as a civic leader and volunteer. She served in the Arkansas Legislature in 1959-1960, the first woman to be elected to the legislature from Pulaski County in over thirty years. While in the legislature, Oates became known for the hats which she always wore. Oates has been involved with over fifty organizations. Notable among them are the Pulaski County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, which she organized, and the Arkansas Federation of Women's Clubs. Oates was the first female member of the Little Rock Founders Lions Club, the oldest Lions Club chapter in the state. Oates was the first woman to serve as chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board. She was appointed to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and approved by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
From the description of Willie Oates papers, 1929-2005. (Central Arkansas Library System). WorldCat record id: 70287810
