STANTON - Billie L. Flanagan, 90 of Stanton, died Sept. 14, 2022. Rosary service was Sept. 16 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Funeral Mass was Sept. 17 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Interment followed at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery. She was born Aug. 1, 1932, in Coahoma, to William Oren and Myrtle Elizabeth (Morgan) Tucker. After graduating from Courtney High School, she worked as a telephone operator for Southwestern Bell in Big Spring when she met the love of her life, Curtis Glen Flanagan. They were married Mar. 27, 1951, in Colorado Springs, CO, where Curtis was stationed with the U.S. Army. They soon moved with the Army to Anchorage, AK where their two eldest children were born.
In September 1957, they moved back to Martin County and built their home on family land north of Stanton where they farmed/ranched and lived for 60 years. In 1964, she started work at the Martin County Courthouse where she split her days working for Judge Martin Gibson, Ag Extension Agent Billy Reagor and Home Demonstration Agent Mildred Eiland. She worked there until the late 1970s when she began bookkeeping at Long Gin.
She was a true helpmate to her husband in farming and ranching. Feeding cattle, helping to tend to the cotton fields and sat in the cab of Curtis' tractor 'driving' while he ate lunch or dinner. She loved fishing and spending time at their lake house on Lake Amistad. But more than anything, she loved her grandkids and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 66 years, Curtis; her parents, W.O. and Myrtle Tucker; her brother Dewitt Tucker; sisters Margie McCormick and Nadine Wilmut; her sister-in-law, Annie Laurie Fox; and grandson, Matthew Cook.
She is survived by her son W. Curtis Flanagan and wife Betty of Stanton; two daughters, Liz Cook and husband Mike of Georgetown, and Leah Flanagan of Stanton; four grandchildren, Kara Ulibarri and husband Monty of New Braunfels, Cory Flanagan and wife Katherine of San Antonio, Jared Cook and wife Rachel of Brenham, and Sean Flanagan and wife Hali of Pipe Cree; six great-grandchildren, Marlee Ulibarri, Leena Flanagan, Victoria Flanagan, William Flanagan, Olivia Flanagan, and Caleb Cook; and her sister-inlaw Margaret Franks of Midland.
Memorials may be made in Billie's name to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or to the Martin County Senior Citizen's Center, P.O. Box 1233, Stanton, Texas, 79782.
Arrangements were under the direction of Gilbreath Funeral Home of Stanton. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com