Billie Marie Mathis

Billie Marie Mathis passed away on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
The funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM Monday, January 16, 2023, at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, Texas 76013.
Billie was born on May 12, 1924, in Jack County, Texas and grew up there, graduating high school in Jacksboro, Texas. She moved to San Diego, California to live with her older sister Izora and help with her children during WWII. While living there she worked in a factory, drove buses and later ambulances transporting wounded men from incoming ships during the war. She met and married her first husband, Jack, and had her only child, Janifer, in San Diego while he was serving in the Navy. From there they moved to San Francisco, California, Norfolk, Virginia, then Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and finally Dallas, Texas where she was a long-time resident. In her later years, she moved to Arlington, Texas to be near her daughter and grandchildren, eventually residing at The Waterford for 16 years before living with her daughter and son-in-law up to her passing. Her first job in Dallas was working at a children’s day care center in Casa Linda. She also worked as a secretary. She was a successful businesswoman and was the store manager of the first S&H Green Stamp redemption center in Dallas. Later, she worked in sales at Mathis-Tichner Flooring carpet stores. She also worked in wholesale sales with her late husband representing Brentwood Sportswear, servicing department stores and menswear stores in Texas, Oklahoma, parts of Arkansas and New Mexico.
Billie was a faithful wife, and a most wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. Billie (“Grandma”) devoted her life to her family. Traveling cross country multiple times each year to visit family. She was an avid Bridge player. Billie would spend hours and hours visiting, playing cards and dominos with her family and grandchildren. Going to grandma’s home was always something special with treats for the kids. Grandma would also go fishing and water skiing with her family. Billie was a giving person, giving not only of her resources, but most importantly of her time. Her wisdom, always subtly and gently dispensed, was comforting, reassuring, encouraging, and beneficial. When Grandma told a story from her history, current events seemed conquerable.
She survived two wonderful men, nursing both husbands until their passing, one from Alzheimer’s and the other from Parkinson’s. Her first husband, Frank Jack Hicks, survived Pearl Harbor and later served on the Franklin aircraft carrier in several sea battles at Midway, the Coral Sea & Leyte. Her second husband, Mel Mathis, was a successful businessman, having owned the Mathis-Tichner Flooring carpet stores and provided the static flooring for the secret base at Los Alamos, New Mexico in WWII. He also invented an underground watering system which he installed at several Texas College football stadiums and at companies such as Texas Instruments.
Billie was also preceded in death by her parents Goldie Hodges Smith and Tucker Smith; and was the last surviving sibling of nine brothers and sisters: Izora Quinn, Oleda (Sissy) Marley, Tucker (Bud) Smith Jr, Nita Davenport, J.D. Smith, Don Smith, Barney Smith, Hope Smith. She was also preceded in death by son-in-law Ken Mathis, son-in-law Gene Henderson, and grandsons, Greg Teeling, Trey Teeling, and Chris Teeling.
She is survived by her daughter Janifer Leonard and husband John W Leonard Jr; stepdaughter Gloria Teeling and husband Phil; stepdaughter Freeda Mathis; stepdaughter Suzie Henderson. She is survived by countless nieces and nephews including Lonnie Smith. She is survived by 17 grandchildren: John W Leonard III and former wife Mary-Frances, Jack Michael Leonard and wife Debby, Jenna Michelle Leonard, James Randall Leonard and wife Stacy, Brad Mathis, Mike Mathis and wife Lisa, Shawn Teeling and wife Heidi, Meredith Henderson, Barton Henderson and wife Melonie, Trenton Henderson and wife Mandy. She is survived by 26 great-grandchildren John Paul Leonard and wife Gerianne, Jack Michael Leonard Jr, Sarah Elise Smith and husband Chris, Joshua Preston Leonard and wife Jenn, Jordan Andrew Leonard and fiancé Lindy Glenn, Jesseca Nicole Money and husband Ryan, Hunter Cole Leonard and wife Sabrina, Brenna Kay Leonard, Cassidy Renee Leonard, Robert Teeling, Ryan Mathis, Amanda Mathis, Hunter Mathis, Maguire Mathis, Mason Mathis, Landon Mathis, Lane Mathis, Aiden Henderson, Kyrsten Henderson, and Aubrey Henderson. She is also survived by 9 great-great grandchildren: Camden, Cayson, Cohen, Corvan, Kashton, Cameron, Rorie, Tripp, and Gracie.