Billie Jane DeMone

Billie Jane DeMone, 82, of Abilene, passed away Saturday, September 1, 2012 at a local hospital. Funeral services will be at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Arthur DeMone will officiate. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Tuesday at the funeral home. Billie was born in Goldsboro, Texas on February 18, 1930 to George Alan and Eula (Belyeu) Lamb. She grew up in Goldsboro and graduated from Coleman High School. Billie married "Bumps" Hadley in 1957 and soon gave birth to three daughters. After the sudden passing of "Bumps", she later married Charles DeMone and gained five more children. From 1953 to 1955, she worked for the Corps of Engineers, French Morocco, North Africa and was secretary with the Provost Marshal. Billie worked with a large firm of attorneys as a legal secretary from 1955 to 1957 and then became secretary to the Inspector General in Yokota, Japan who she worked for until 1959. In 1964, she joined Farmers Insurance Agency and handled fire, auto, life insurance and commercial policies. She was named the top life insurance saleswoman for the state of Texas with Farmers Insurance. DeMone Properties purchased and restored over 100 homes in the Abilene area from 1966 to 1983. During that time, Billie supervised the work crews and the decorating. She ordered VA and FHA appraisals. She was also in charge of selling the homes. The large "work crew" of 8 children fondly spent their summers working with their parents at the houses and each had their area of expertise in the construction process. Billie, who was a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi, was bestowed a Diamond Circle Award during the summer of 2011 for 60 years of dedicated membership. In April of 1999 after battling kidney disease for nearly a year, Billie received a kidney transplant from daughter Cindy. The organ donation gave Billie the gift of 13 more years with family. After Billie retired from the real estate industry, she enjoyed volunteering for the American Red Cross and spending all her free time with her loved ones. She could be seen at numerous sporting events always supporting her grandchildren and spending Saturday mornings at garage and estate sales with her daughters and granddaughters. Billie was also up for spur of the moment trips to the casino and was known for her never ending lucky streak. Her stories about all the things she had experienced in her long 82 years will always be fondly remembered by her loved ones and anyone Billie had the privilege of meeting. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Eula Lamb; her first husband Eldred Laverne "Bumps" Hadley; her second husband Charles James DeMone; one brother Doyle "Bud" Lamb and one grandson Kevin Waskow. Billie is survived by her children: Arthur DeMone and wife Pam of Abilene, Betsy DiFrancia and husband Dixon of Indianapolis, Indiana, Karen Craft of Abilene, Kenneth DeMone and wife Rhonda of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lois Allen and husband Ross of San Marcos, Sandy Spencer and husband Spence of Abilene, Susie Burleson and husband Marty of Abilene, and Cindy Norris and husband Robert of Abilene; grandchildren: Jonathan DeMone, Mason DeMone, Glynis DeMone, Brian DeMone, Brent DeMone, Curtis Waskow, Patty Miller, Dylan DeMone, Martin Burleson, Jessica Harendt, Wesley Harendt, Matthew Norris, Sadie Watson and husband Josh, Aaron DiFrancia, Brooke Mahaffey and husband John, Audrey Allen, Mark Craft and wife Jill, and Phillip Craft; great-grandchildren: Mason Cooley, Charlie and Max Mahaffey, Christiane and Josilyn Craft, Quintas Allen; one brother, Richard Lamb of Weatherford; three sisters: Mandy Dobbs of Abilene, Sarah Wallace and husband Dwayne of Abilene, Delta Buford of Abilene; one sister-in-law, Jackie Lamb of Ft. Worth, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Curtis Waskow, Martin Burleson, Wesley Harendt, Phillip Craft, Mark Craft and Matthew Norris will serve as pallbearers. Memorials may be made in Billie's honor to: the Alzheimer's Association, North Central Texas Chapter, 301 S. Pioneer Dr., Suite 105, Abilene, TX 79605; the National Kidney Foundation, 5429 LBJ Freeway # 250, Dallas, TX 75240-2617; or to the American Red Cross North Texas Region, 1610 N. 2nd St., Abilene, TX 79601.