Billie H. Andrews

 

I thought this obituary contained a story worthy of passing on to you. Willie Elkins-Harrison was born in Limestone Co to Phillip Elkins and Betty Parker (Dau of Peyton Parker). The obit is about her daughter who tells a story.

Billie H. Andrews - Dallas Morning News, The - (Apr/9/2004) Obituary

ANDREWS, BILLIE H., September 24, 1908 - April 7, 2004 passed away at the age of 95 on April 7, 2004 in Dallas. She was preceded in death by her husband of over 60 years, Reagan "Red" Andrews, in March, 1992. A resident of Dallas for 67 years, Billie is survived by a daughter, Bettie Sarrafian of Palestine, Texas, and a son, Reagan Andrews, Jr., and his wife Connie Andrews of Dallas. She was a long-time friend and associate of Ebby Halliday. A member of the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, Billie Andrews had been active in a number of professional auxiliaries and floral organizations until recent years following her retirement.

She was born September 24, 1908 in Pecos, Texas, toward the end of the "Wild West" in Texas and New Mexico. It wasn't until her children were adults that they learned the location of her birth - the Reeves County Jail in Pecos where her father, Thomas Harrison, was sheriff - with several local "working women" assisting the birth. She came from a long line of strong, Texas women. Billie remembered as a young girl that her mother, Willie Elkins Harrison, stood off a lynch gang in the absence of her sheriff husband by loading a shotgun and confronting members of the unruly mob outside of the jail, several of whom she knew. Billie and her siblings were sent with the family cook to stay in "Mexican Town" in Pecos until any danger had passed before their return to their home above the County Jail. Billie's great grandmother was a Parker, and packed up her children and moved by wagon train to Fort Parker in the early 1800's. Although Billie's mother swore she was not related to Cynthia Ann Parker, mother of the great Comanche War Chief, Quanah Parker, until her dying day, she was related to two Harrison's who were generals in her family. Billie attended school in Pecos, Texas, and Clovis, New Mexico where she graduated from high school before attending Business College and entering the work force in Pecos as a secretary. She met her future husband, Reagan "Red" Andrews in Pecos and after a brief courtship the pair were married. Shortly afterward, she followed her husband to Cuba where they lived from 1931 - 1933 while he worked for an American oil company doing geophysical exploration for oil. During this period, the government of Cuba was somewhat unstable and both she and her husband described frequent overthrows of the provincial leaders and resulting periodic executions by firing squads in the town squares where they were staying. Following the birth of her son, Reagan, the couple moved to a residence in North Dallas where she resided until the recent hospitalization leading to her death. Memorial service for Billie will be held at 3:00 p.m., Thursday April 8, 2004 in the Wesley Chapel of the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church at 9200 Inwood Road and Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas 75220-3999. Restland 972-238-7111 restlandfuneralhome.com

Published in the Dallas Morning News on 4/8/2004.

Name: Willie A. Elkins
Home in 1880: Groesbeck, Limestone, Texas
Age: 7
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1873
Birthplace: Texas
Relation to Head of Household: Daughter
Father's Name: Phillip
Father's birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Name: Bettie
Mother's birthplace: Texas
Neighbors: View others on page
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Female
Household Members: Name Age
Phillip Elkins 33
Bettie Elkins 28  f born abt 1852 TX TN TN (Father was Peyton Parker)
Willie A. Elkins 7  f TX TN TX
Claudie Elkins 4
Dan Demc Nulty 22

Regards
Jim Yarbrough  3/7/2008