Willie “Little Man” Tarver

Willie “Little Man” Tarver – such an unforgettable man with a profound legacy.

He was a one-of-a-kind type person. Whether you knew him for years or just met him while in the grocery store, you could never forget a soul quite like “Little Man’s”. It seemed like everybody knew him and I mean everybody! He will be remembered for his loving character, generous and still nature, and faithful commitment. He was an honest man; whatever he said, he meant it from the best place, because he loved you. You could always count on him to greet you with his own “Hey! How you doing?”, followed by his uniquely bright smile and rich chuckle. If “dress to impress” was a person, it would be him. Whether it be a church service at Greater Hope, a family cookout at the beach, or even running a regular errand, you could rest assured he was going to be as sharp as a tack. There was never a dull moment with “Little Man” because he’d be sure of it. He loved his community. He loved his church. He loved his family. Most importantly, he loved God because he knew his relationship with Him would matter the most, in the end. To know Willie “Little Man” Tarver was to simply love him, you couldn’t help but love him. Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”, that was him. If you had the opportunity to know or meet him, consider yourself blessed because he was truly an angel on this side of Heaven.

A memorial service to honor Willie Tarver is scheduled for Friday, May 14, 2021 at the Greater Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 430 E. Figueroa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103, at 11am.

Following the service, there will be a repast held at East Beach, right across from the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.