Billie Duerson Mann

Billie D. Mann went to be with her Lord at 11:30 pm on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at the Oxford Glen of Sachse Memory Care facility where she had been residing for the past year. She died from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease, which she had been suffering from for approximately ten years.

Billie was born in Roanoke, Virginia on March 17, 1943. Her parents were William Duerson and Dorothy (Bowen) Duerson. William passed away before Billie was born from an accident in a train yard where he worked. After her father’s death, Billie and her mother, Dorothy, moved in with Dorothy’s parents, Reuel and Isabelle Bowen, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Billie’s mother married Young Prickett of Tampa, Florida when Billie was about 8 years old. Dorothy and Young had two more children, Robert and Tammy, Billie’s half-siblings.

Billie was a Christian. She was baptized at the age of 16 by her future father-in-law, Everett C. Mann, Sr. at Henderson Boulevard church of Christ in Tampa, Florida. She spent the rest of her life actively involved in Christian service to her Lord. She worshipped at various churches of Christ around the country throughout her life and was very active in the work of each of these congregations until the last 7 years of her struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Billie married Everett Calvin Mann Jr. on January 26th, 1962. They had two daughters, Michelle Thompson, married to Jeff Thompson and Sheryl Nix, married to Kyle Nix.

Billie is survived by her husband, her two children, and 6 grandchildren:

Aaron Thompson

David Thompson

Grace (Nix) Brumfield

Faith Nix

Nathanael Nix

Isaiah Nix

She is also survived by 7 great-grandchildren:

Caleb Thompson

Nora Thompson

Isaac Thompson

Anna Thompson

Aria Thompson

Amoni Nix

Maevis Brumfield

She is also survived by her sister Tammy Crutchfield Prickett.

Billie was preceded in death by her father, William Duerson, her mother Dorothy Prickett, her step-father, Young Prickett, and her brother Robert Prickett.

Billie loved life, people and laughing. In her 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, she enjoyed making clothes for herself and her daughters and she was an advocate for her girl’s various learning issues and health issues. She drove them to doctor’s appointments, to see specialists and to Easter Seals. She was a ferocious mama-bear when it came to getting her girls the help they needed. During these years she was also a huge Miami Dolphins fans and she was surprisingly knowledgeable about the game of football.

In her 30’s and 40’s, she was passionate about playing tennis and played on a daily basis in various tennis leagues. She played in a mixed doubles league with her husband, Cal, in mother-daughter tournaments with her daughter, Michelle, and in many women’s singles and doubles leagues. Billie was also diligent about hosting various traveling preachers in her home and she was hospitable in many other ways, as well. She hosted parties for the adults in the congregation as well as parties for her daughter’s church friends. She also served the members of the congregation by visiting the elderly, making meals for the sick, and driving people to the doctor. She took her girls with her on all of these acts of service, which set a wonderful example for them.

An injury at age 50 and subsequent illnesses put an end to tennis and other activities for a few years, including hosting/hospitality. During her early 50’s, she developed an interest in politics by listening to Rush Limbaugh on a daily basis while convalescing in bed in the afternoons; a habit she continued well into her 70’s.

In her later 50’s, as well as her 60’s and 70’s, she continued hosting traveling preachers and church members and serving the sick and elderly of her local congregation. While living in Tampa, Florida, they were known for hosting get-together’s on a regular basis for the college age “kids” who attended Florida College.

Billie had a life-long passion for family, friends, hospitality, fashion, traveling, Elvis Presley, and Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. Billie and Cal traveled to or through almost all 50 states and they lived in Florida, North Dakota, Alaska, New Mexico, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas.

In her declining years, as her world grew smaller and smaller, she loved joking about her “boy name” and that her birthday was on St. Patrick’s Day. When asked what her favorite color was she would say, “Green, for my birthday!” She also loved telling and retelling the story of how she and Cal drove 13 days from Anchorage, Alaska to Tampa, Florida with two young girls. Even during her last year, she would still light up when she was the center of attention. She was loved by many of the staff at Oxford Glen, as well as the families of other residents at Oxford Glen. Billie retained her sense of humor, right up to the last couple of weeks of her life.

But most of all, Billie loved being married to “the Mann”!