Billie Wilhite Tom, 91, of Andrews passed away on Friday, November 11, 2016 in Andrews.
Family and friends will gather to celebrate her life at 2:00 PM Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at the Andrews Church of Christ, 201 NW 2nd Street, in Andrews with Leslie Boone and John Snider officiating. Private interment will be held at the Andrews West Cemetery under the personal care of McNett Funeral Home. The family will receive friends on Monday from 6 - 8 PM at the funeral home. Please celebrate her life by visiting www.mcnettfuneralhome.com.
Billie was born on January 4, 1925 to Alton T. Wilhite and Bonnie Mae Buchan Wilhite. She was raised in Monahans and graduated from Monahans High School in 1942. Following high school, she attended Tarleton College, where she met George “Sonny” Ellison Tom, Jr. They married 4 years later on February 1, 1947 in Monahans. They were living in Fort Worth when their first son, George Ellison “Snuffy” Tom, III, was born in 1949. They returned “home” to West Texas in 1950, and they became the third generation of the Tom family to ranch in Andrews County. They also had ranching interest in Gaines and Upton Counties in Texas and Eddy County in New Mexico. Their second son, William Edward “Bill” Tom was born in 1955. They were previous owners of Andrews Lumber Company and current owners of Kinney, Inc. in Andrews. Billie held many memberships with various organizations in Andrews, including the Andrews Chamber of Commerce and the Andrews County Historical Committee, where she served on the Heritage Book Commission. Billie was instrumental in starting Friends of the Andrews County Library, where she also served as a board member. Billie was a member of the Permian Regional Medical Center Auxiliary – “Pink Ladies”, member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, member of a local bridge club for many years, and a past member of the Progressive Study Club. She was awarded Citizen of the Year in 1978 by the Andrews Chamber of Commerce. Billie took great pride in the family’s ranching heritage and stewardship of the land. In her spare time, she loved to garden, read, and travel. She was a member of the Andrews Church of Christ.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, George Ellison “Sonny” Tom, Jr., sons, George Ellison “Snuffy” Tom, III and William Edward “Bill” Tom, and her brother, Alton Wilhite.
She is survived by longtime close family friend, Edward Saldivar of Andrews, 4 grandchildren, Grant Tom of New Orleans, Louisiana, Leigh Hensley and husband, Tony, of Rapid City, South Dakota, Courtney Tom of Lewisburg, Tennessee, and Chris Tom and wife, Michaeli, of Andrews, and 6 great grandchildren.
Memorials may be directed to the Friends of the Andrews County Library, 109 NW 1st Street, Andrews, Texas 79714.
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