Billy Joe Batchelor

Billy Joe Batchelor passed away peacefully at home on June 4, 2020. He was 81 years old. He was born November 10, 1938 in Morrisville, NC to Joseph Fowler and Eula May (Wilson) Batchelor. As the second of four children and the oldest son, he spent his early childhood learning valuable skills working on the family farm. They grew tobacco, corn, wheat, hay and many fruit and vegetable crops, as well as cows, pigs, chickens and bees. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing, and all of the farm work was performed using mules. The family attended Good Hope Baptist Church, where he accepted Christ and was baptized in 1950. He was very athletic and played baseball and basketball in his youth. He enrolled at Louisburg College, then transferred to North Carolina State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1962.

He married Betty Lou Winston on June 19, 1961 and they moved to Kennesaw, GA in 1962, where he began a career with Lockheed Corporation which lasted 41 years. In 1963 they moved to Marietta, GA, where they raised their family of five children on a 2-acre urban farm. He enjoyed gardening and raising cows, chickens and bees. He taught his children integrity, and how to plan, work and enjoy the fruits of their labor, whether it was in food production, building, school or career. He was an avid sportsman and taught his children the joy of hunting and fishing. He and his family built their current home in Kennesaw, GA in 1985, where he established another urban farm, raising fruits and vegetables, pigs and honeybees. During his career at Lockheed, he worked on military aircraft including the C-130, C-141, and C-5. He also worked on the civilian L-1011. He retired from Lockheed in 1995, but returned to work on the F-22 Raptor until 2002.

He was a devoted servant of Jesus Christ and spent much of his life in leadership roles in his Church. He was ordained as a Deacon at Noonday Baptist Church in 1977, and also served as a Deacon at Piedmont Baptist Church and Kennesaw First Baptist Church. He was passionate about teaching and helping people and enjoyed ministering to those in need.

After retiring, he remained active in his Church work, as well as enjoying new hobbies including sawing logs, restoring antique tractors and clocks, building barns, raising honeybees and traveling. Raising a large family was one of his most loved accomplishments. Fondly remembered as “Papa”, he poured his life into his five children, 11 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, teaching them long forgotten values and skills. He taught them the value of integrity, hard work and education. He taught them how to have self-confidence and become high achievers. He enjoyed spending time with them at the hunting camp in south GA. He had a deep love and devotion for his wife of 58 years, as well as for his family and friends. The world has lost a great man and Heaven has gained a faithful servant.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, Joseph Fowler and Eula May (Wilson) Batchelor, his sister Betty Jean (Howell), and his brothers James Glen and Jerry Lynn Batchelor. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Betty Lou (Winston), as well as his five children: Barry Joseph and his wife Nicole (Guidry) of Houston, TX; William David and his wife Dawn Kristin (Hyde) of Auburn, AL; Timothy Wayne and his wife Susan (Pickle) of Appling, GA; Christopher Keith and his wife Jennifer (Fennell) of Dallas, GA; and Kimberly Dawn and her husband Tommy (Long) Jr. of Acworth, GA; grandchildren David, Adam, Jacob, and Samuel Batchelor; Melanie and her husband John Salley; Sarah, and Abby Batchelor; Daniel Batchelor and his wife Emily and Emma Thomason; and Courtney and Avery Long; and great grandchildren Noel and Josiah Salley.