Billie Jean Dunaway

Billie Jean Dunaway (Hoppes) was born on Friday, August 15, 1941, to Charles and Edith Hoppes. Born in the small town of Middleport, she spent her early childhood years swinging on porch swings and playing along the Ohio Riverbank. It was a simple, quiet life; really only exciting when the Ohio river flooded and row boats were used to navigate main street. And, of course, it was rather exciting the day she decided to run away from home.

Ever wise and responsible, Billie Jean quickly realized that she was needed at home and so she returned.

Billie Jean was a quiet, respectful, and observant child. She collected and returned milk bottles to help pay for piano lessons. She didn’t mind schoolwork or helping in the kitchen with Mom. And, she always seemed to have a book handy; and her little sister, Sharon, in-tow. Perhaps her favorite thing about growing up was the Bible stories her Mom would read to her, at bed-time every night.

Times were lean and in the pursuit of providing for his family, Billie Jean’s dad moved the family many times. From Ohio to Florida to Arizona, Billie Jean was given the opportunity to experience new places and new people. The hours spent on the road with her family, seeing the beauty of God’s big world, experiencing the generosity of strangers, making new friends, and saying goodbye to old ones, all shaped Billie Jean’s perspective on life.

Eventually Billie Jean’s family settled in Phoenix, Arizona, where she finally discovered her place in this world. She got a job as an Information Operator at Mountain Bell Telephone Company. She found a church home and made some friends. And then, at a Valentine’s Day Social, she met a man. A tall, handsome, very tall man. His Christ-like character and strong faith drew her to him.

She would tell you that they never really dated, that they really just gathered with friends to hike or picnic together. They spent hours together talking about their life and their dreams. Until one day he asked if she would like to wear his class ring and she suggested an engagement ring might be better.

Billie Jean Hoppes married Ronald Wayne Dunaway on Friday, November 17, 1967.

Jesus and God’s Word guided their hearts and home as they built a family of two daughters and a son together. They settled into a little neighborhood church, now known as North Mountain Church, where life-long friends were made.

Billie Jean once said that she had dreamed of becoming a school-teacher, of marrying a good man, and of having lots of children. She followed by saying, “God saw fit to grant me the best of those dreams.”

In grace, God granted all of these dreams in ways that were beautifully unexpected. God gave her a quiet strength, a gentle spirit, a stubborn persistence, a tender heart, a fierce loyalty, and a humble wisdom so that she could be a wife, a mother, a home-maker, a friend, a confidante, a pianist, a role-model, a room-mom and a librarian. She taught her kids and her grandkids to love Jesus, to love and respect others, to work hard, and to enjoy reading and learning. She would say these things were ordinary but those who knew her would say they were extraordinary.

Billie Jean’s deepest passion was Jesus and the Bible. Her greatest joys were Ron, her children, and her grandchildren. Her life was filled with simplicity and every once in a while a little bit of excitement. Her shining moment in life was, in her words, “I’m certainly not the ‘shining moment type’. I suppose that moment will be when I hear The Lord say, “Well done.””

And so, her shining moment has now happened and Heaven echoes her “well done”.

Reunited once again with Ron, she leaves behind three children: Elaine, Virginia, and John and their spouses Jim, Jim, and Cheryl, seven grandchildren: Sarah, Emily, Patrick, David, Benjamin, Amanda, and Nathan, and two great grandchildren.

You are loved and deeply missed.

John 11:25 – Jesus said to her, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in Me will live even though they die.”