Lottery Winner to Share Big Prize With His Parents

Wanda Willey of Fullerton and her son, Steven, of Sausalito, figured that buying tickets to the twice-weekly lottery drawing at both ends of the state would help them win the big prize.

Their strategy paid off recently when they claimed half of a $54-million Super Lotto jackpot.

Wanda Willey, 64, was on her way to work when she heard that one of the two winning tickets in the July 31 drawing had been purchased at a Sausalito 7-Eleven.

She immediately called her son and asked if he had the winning ticket.

“Yes, Mom, I have the winning ticket,” said Steven Willey, 44, who said he didn’t call his parents the night of the drawing because he was afraid to wake them.

An electrical supervisor from Chino who held the other winning ticket will split the winnings with the Willeys.

Steven Willey said he did not step forward to claim the prize for two weeks because he was “still in shock.” He plans to split his $27-million prize three ways, with his parents and his partner, Georgiana Funk, 47, each getting a third of the prize.

Each will receive $324,000 a year after taxes for the next 20 years.

Wanda Willey, who is three months short of retirement, said she plans to quit her job as a receptionist immediately. Funk will also leave her job at Bank of America. Steven Willey was unemployed when he won the ticket.