BETHANY REPUBLICAN-CLIPPER, Bethany, Missouri, Wednesday, May 22, 1985
ARCHIE LEE BILLUPS
Archie Lee Billups, 73 of Blythedale, died Friday, May 17, at Liberty Hospital.
He was born Oct. 12, 1911 near Ridgeway, Missouri, the fourth child of Robert and Myrtle (Hammack) Billups.
On Feb. 21, 1939 in Bethany, he untied in marriage to Helen Catherine Matson, who survives. To this union were born five children, Phyllis Elaine Bagley of Independence, Missouri, Norman Keith Billups of Kansas City, Missouri, Richard Lee Billups of Holt, Missouri, Dennis Ray Billups of Ridgeway, and David Charles Billups of Ridgeway.
Archie spent most of his life in Harrison County farming until he and his wife retired due to his health and moved to Blythedale in 1973. Upon retiring from farming, he spent time doing woodworking, carpentry work and rug weaving.
He was a good neighbor and friend and was always willing to lend a hand whenever help was needed. He was a member of the First Christian Church of Blythedale and a member of the Blythedale Community Club as long as his health permitted him to contribute his time.
Besides his wife, Helen, and their children, he has a loving son-in-law, Wilbur Bagley and three loving daughters-in-law, Martha, Elaine and Gayle. He thought of them as his own children.
Among his rewards in life he was blessed with nine grandchildren, Wesley, Cindy, Jon, and Leonard Bagley, Sheryl, Laura, and Heather Billups, Joshua and Andrew Lee Billups. He loved each one of them dearly.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Doral Billups.
Other survivors include one brother, Tom Billups of Woodland, Washington; seven sisters, Retha Morris of Bethany, Arlene Johnson of Viroqua, Wisconsin, Ruby Eivins of Ridgeway, Maxine Shipley of Loveland, Colorado, Mary Stephens of Iowa City, Iowa, Erma Dale Shipley of Cleveland, Ohio, and Fay Spencer of Pinckneyville, Illinois; and several nieces and nephews.
Services were held Monday, May 20, 1984 at the Blythedale First Christian Church. Burial was in the Cedar Hill Cemetery, west of Blythedale. Arrangements were under direction of the Provin-Slaughter Funeral Home in Ridgeway.