Church service for Billy Joe Lewis, age 94, of Cypress, Texas was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 15 at First Assembly of God Church in Morton with Brent Scoggins officiating. Burial was in Morton Memorial Cemetery. Billy Joe, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, was born to Fletcher Bartholomew and Dixie Rhea Lewis in Electra, Texas on December 29, 1929, and joined the chorus of the angels on June 7 in Cypress, Texas. Billy Joe met the love of his life, Patsy Nell Singleton, in Whiteface and they were married April 21, 1956, in Hobbs, New Mexico.
Billy Joe was raised in Brownfield and graduated from Brownfield High School in 1948. He attended college at Texas Tech University and Angelo State College, where he loved playing football. In 1951, he joined his father in his oil well drilling and servicing company, Dixie Field Services. During this time, he also proudly served in the National Guard 112th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Billy Joe adopted Patsy’s young son, Samuel Ray, and they had three children together, Shonnie LaVon, Patsy (Patti) Jo and Billy Joe (Bill) Jr. Billy Joe joined Sun Oil Company in 1967 and continued with a successful career through many moves, mergers, and name changes. An expert in his field, he worked continuously for more than five decades. After “retiring”, he continued working as drilling consultant well into his 80s. He enjoyed spending time with his family, including taking his children and grandchildren on many trips across Texas and New Mexico and hosting family in his backyard pool. He was an avid sports fan and could always be found watching the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Texas Rangers,and Houston Astros. Billy Joe was a wonderful, kind, hard-working man who was loved deeply by his family and friends. For sixty-eight years, he treasured his wife, Patsy, and the family they built together. He was a shining example of a godly husband and father, and he shared his warmth and kindness to everyone he met. His loving nature made a lasting impact on countless lives. Billy Joe was fondly known as “Uncle Bill” to many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Fletcher and Dixie Lewis, his sons, Sammy Lewis and Bill Lewis, Jr. his sisters, Virginia McInturff and Francis Snow and his great grandson Beck Kemery. Billy Joe is survived by his wife Patsy Lewis, his daughters Shonnie Daniel (husband Bruce) and Patti Scoggins (husband Mike), and sister, Dixie Geddings (husband, Jim). Together, Billy Joe and Patsy have eight grandchildren, Benjamin Daniel, Catherine Daniel (husband Chris), Mitchell Daniel (wife Liz), Amanda Lewis, Laura Davis (husband Jarris), Brittany Kemery, Ashley Young (husband Jake) and Cayden Scoggins (wife Savannah) and nine great grandchildren, Charles, Maxwell, Oliver and Henry Daniel, Landon and Mason Davis, Rhett Kemery, Amelia and Elijah Scoggins.
BILLY LEWIS