Ophelia Park Bilbrey

Ophelia Park Bilbrey, 84, passed on to join her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on September 23, 2012 with her loving family at her side. The family will be receiving friends at a visitation on Wednesday, September 26th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Hamil Family Funeral Home 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Graveside service will be at Potosi Cemetery on Thursday, September 27th at 10:00 am. Ophelia was born December 12, 1927 in Lea County, New Mexico to Ernest H. and Caroline (Fuchs) Park. They lived in a number of Texas cities where her father pastored churches. While living in Cross Plains, Texas she met and married Bennie L. Bilbrey on September 22, 1945. They celebrated their 67th anniversary last Saturday at Mesa Springs Nursing Home while Ophelia lay waiting to meet her Lord. Ben and Ophelia followed his work in the oil fields to many locations in Texas, eventually returning to Abilene to make their home and raise their children. Ophelia worked 10 years at Timex Industries. She also worked 15 years for Horace and June Cooke at The Natural Food. At heart, Ophelia was a homemaker and when not traveling, she was content to be home cooking a delicious meal (with cornbread), reading and following the latest political news. Ben and Ophelia loved to travel and made their way across a large part of the United States via cars, vans, RV's and campers. Their second home became the Colorado mountains out of Pagosa Springs where they enjoyed the summers the last 15 years. They loved being there. She leaves lots of wonderful memories as a loving wife mother, granny and a great-granny. Survivors include her husband of 67 years, Ben Bilbrey of Abilene; a son Garland Bilbrey and wife Sue of Galveston, Texas, a daughter JoVern Johnson and husband Gerald of Abilene and a son Larry Bilbrey of Abilene. Granddaughters, Tammy Crawford and husband Tim of Fort Worth, Amy Bilbrey Galvan of Fort Worth, Megan Simpson Sepulveda and husband Yerko of Bethesda, Maryland and Kristen Simpson of Abilene. Also great-grandchildren, Nathan Crawford and wife Meagan of Fort Worth, Andrea Crawford of Fort Worth, Karen Galvan of Fort Worth, Andrew Galvan of Fort Worth and Mia Sepulveda of Maryland. She is also survived by her three siblings; E. Eugene Park and wife Nell of Clyde, Jeorgia Park Brassell of San Angelo, Ernest C. Park and wife June of Clyde; and many nieces and nephews. The family of Ophelia wishes to express a very special thank you to Hospice of the Big Country for helping to make the last few months of her life easier for her and her loved ones. Also they would like to thank the nurses and staff at Mesa Springs Nursing Home for caring for her up to the very end. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hospice of the Big Country (4601 Hartford 79605) or to Potosi Cemetery Fund (109 Bynum Lane 79602).