She is survived by her 6 children and their spouses, Shirley and Curtis Seelbach of Henderson, Texas; Marilynn and Tom Minor of Ore City, Texas; Donnie and Shirley Manck of Henderson, Texas; Doris and Jerry Stickney of Bellevue, Washington; Nina and Bobby Bailey of Brownsboro, Texas; and Lynn and Katy Manck of Gilmer, Texas.
Billie was born in Battiest, Oklahoma on June 3, 1917 to Bessie Dickinson Hooks and Q.P. Hooks. Billie lost her mother and 2 younger siblings before she turned 5. Her father remarried to Veleta Smith and in 1933 he packed up his machine business and his family; including Billie, his wife and their 4 sons, Charles, Donald, Bobby and Corwin "Corky"; and moved to Henderson from Oklahoma to set up shop during the East Texas Oil Boom. Billie met her future husband, Lloyd T. Manck, when they attended Gaston High School together and they married in the middle of their senior year in December 1934, graduating in May 1935. During their 52 years of marriage, they raised 6 children; Shirley, Marilynn, Doris and Donnie (the twins!), Nina and Lynn; and enjoyed 21 grandchildren and, at last count, over 50 great and great-great-grandchildren! Virtually all of her 80+ direct descendants were able to join their "Grammy" to celebrate her 100th birthday in 2017!
Billie was an amazing woman who worked with Lloyd to build a successful pipeline construction business that specialized in large diameter road-boring, building the machines and equipment that they used, sold and rented. They traveled across North America to complete jobs on major pipelines in each of the lower 48 states and every province in Canada. They also raised prized Hereford cattle and were very active in the American Brittany Club, taking their award-winning Brittanies to Field and Show competitions across the country. Since the death of her beloved Lloyd in 1987 until 2015 when she moved in with Nina, her youngest daughter, Billie resided in her home off Hwy 43 on the property where Manck Machine and the Manck Ranch were established in 1954. She always loved animals and enjoyed gardening, traveling and writing poems and stories about her life experiences well into her 90s.
Her family and friends have countless fond memories of Mother, Mama, Grammy and Billie. She was always ready with a hug or encouragement and able to see the good in everyone. Her gentle spirit and love for us all will be greatly missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that you be extra kind to those you meet and call someone who loves you but hasn't heard from you in a while. The family would also like to give special recognition and thanks to those who assisted with Grammy's care, including Sandra McCloud, Christy Wideman, Jan Sluder, Diane Caldwell and LaWanda Daughtry.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 18th at 10:30am at the First Presbyterian Church of Henderson located at 311 S High Street in Henderson, Texas. Pall bearers will be Josh Manck, Eric Seelbach, Michael Minor, Michael W. Minor and Robert Nelson. There will be a lunch reception in the Fellowship Hall immediately after the service. A graveside service will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in New London, Texas. The family would be honored by your attendance.
