Billye Louise Hodges Whatley

Celebration of Life services will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 12, 2015 at Griggs-Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel with Reverend Bob Miller officiating.

Mrs. Whatley was born March 20, 1923 at the family farm near Groom. She graduated from Groom High School and attended West Texas State University in Canyon. Her parents, Byron and Irene Hodges, were pioneer farmers in Carson County. They purchased a farm in 1905, which still remains in the family. She married the love of her life, Troy Whatley in 1942. Together, they farmed and ranched in Bushland and Tucumcari, NM for 48 years, raising cattle and horses, before moving to Canyon. Billye loved Jesus and was a committed Sunday School teacher for 30 years. She was a positive influence on those she taught and served many years in church training. After moving to Canyon, she joined First Baptist Church and served there on the senior council and quilting ministry. She was also a member of Panhandle Plains Historical Museum. In 2005, Mrs. Whatley moved to the Continental Retirement Center in Amarillo where she joined First Baptist Church, later moving to South Georgia Baptist Church.

Billye was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Troy and three sisters.

Billye is survived by her son, Jerry and wife Cheryl Davis Whatley of Canyon; two grandsons, John and Amanda Sweatt Whatley of Fayetteville, AR and Todd and wife, Lisa Price Whatley of Amarillo; five great-grandchildren, Amelia, Cooper and Coy Whatley of Fayetteville, AR and Brett and Blaire Whatley of Amarillo; a sister, Nadine Lee of Clarendon; two nieces and five nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be sent to: CrossRoads Country Church, PO Box 50608, Amarillo, 79159-0608

The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.