Billie was born on June 16, 1926, in Spadra, Arkansas, to Horace and Vera Hutson. A proud coal miner’s daughter, she grew up alongside one sister and two brothers, enduring humble beginnings and times without modern conveniences. She graduated from Hartman High School and, due to financial hardship, left home shortly after graduation to make her own way in the world. She moved to Houston, Texas, where she worked a variety of jobs, determined to build a better future. In time, she married Loyd Standridge, and in 1957 they made their home in Amarillo. Billie began working as a dining room cashier at Northwest Texas Hospital, faithfully serving there for 45 years. She worked nights while raising her seven children during the day, embodying strength, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication to her family. She retired after more than four decades of loyal service. More than 20 years ago, Billie joined Chaparral Hills Baptist Church. She often said she was blessed with two families: her blood family and her church family. Her life was guided by a strong and steady faith, a deep love for her family, and a kindness that touched everyone she met. She lived a long, productive life marked by resilience, generosity, and grace.
She is survived by her sons, James Eastep and wife Jean Cline, Sam Standridge and wife Betty, and Mike Standridge; her daughters, Lani Griese and Kay Holland; 13 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Horace and Vera Hutson; her brothers, Tommy Hutson, Charles Hutson, and Rickey Hutson; her sister, Wanda Daily; her husband, Loyd Standridge (March 1980); her son, Leslie Standridge (April 1997); and her daughter, Bonita Moyer (March 2024).
Billie’s legacy of faith, perseverance, and unconditional love will live on in the generations she leaves behind.
