Billie J. Smith

DENISON – Billie J. Smith, 84, passed away Friday, April 12, 2013 at her home in Denison.

The family will be at Bratcher Funeral Home for visitation from 6 -8 p.m., Monday, April 15, 2013.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at Parkside Baptist Church in Denison with Dr. Chet Haney and Rev. Chris Collins officiating. Burial will follow at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman.

Pallbearers will be Zachary Ratliff, Sam Ratliff, Mike Hughes, Ken Askins, Chris Lorentzen and Nick Chase. Honorary pallbearers will be Jess Riddle and Buddy Barnes and all members of her husband's Sunday school class.

Billie was born on Tuesday, October 16, 1928 in Hope, Ark., the daughter of Jim Gray and Violet Sikes Gray. She married Cecil Smith on June 25, 1948 in Denison. She was a member of Parkside Baptist Church in Denison and an operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Most importantly, she was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

She is survived by her husband, Cecil of Denison; son,Larry Smith and wife Adriana of Sherman; daughter, Susan Smith of Colorado Springs, Colo.; brother, Roy Gray of Denison; brother-in-law, Fritz Lorentzen of Wisconsin; sister-in-law, Dorothy Tonkinson of Denison; nephews, Mike Hughes of Ohio and Chris Lorentzen of Wisconsin; father of grandsons, Dan Ratliff; grandchildren, Stacey Smith of Arlington, Zac Ratliff of Los Angeles, and Sam Ratliff of Colorado Springs, Colo.

She is preceded in death by her parents; inlaws, Clyde and Lorene Smith; sister, Jimmie "Doodle" Lorentzen; brother-in-law, Dan Tonkinson and nephew, David Tonkinson.

Billie devoted her life to her family, to her friends and to God. She developed many life-time friendships with members of her church. She believed in loyalty and honor. Loyalty to her husband of 65 years and honor to her character, the type that demands you live a moral life. She learned the basics of decency from her parents and she taught her children the same lessons of life. She was gentle with her relationships and caring with her loved ones.

Cecil and Billie loved to travel and went to 13 states over the years. Many of those trips were mission trips where they helped build churches.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Parkside Pacesetters or Grayson Home Hospice.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.bratcherfuneralhome.com.
Published in The Herald Democrat on April 14, 201