Billy Dean Napier was born July 11, 1943, on the family farm in rural Wright County, Missouri. He was one of 12 children born to George Columbus and Alma Elizabeth (Hyder) Napier. As a young boy, he attended Antioch School. He departed this life Sep. 22, 2020, in Cox South Medical Center in Springfield, at the age of 77 years, 2 months and 11 days. Billy, known to all as ‘Napier,’ met the love of his life, a young lady named Shirley Ann Easley, at the Owen Theatre in Seymour. He always said, “Ain’t she a dandy?!” On Dec. 15, 1961, they were married and to this union four children were born. The Napiers made their home in rural Wright County, where Shirley was a dedicated mother and homemaker and Napier worked at a Mac-O-Mo Casket Company in Marshfield. They worked together there for a time until he, as her supervisor, had to ‘let her go’ for mischief gone awry. York Quality Caskets bought Mac-O-Mo and Napier retired from York in 2006 after 40 years of hard work and faithful service. Rarely apart, Napier and Shirley had a lot of fun together. He spent years chauffeuring her to yard sales. He liked to smoke his pipes and cigars. Shirley was known to ‘mess’ with Napier’s tobacco and cocktails, and he fell for it every time. He loved to fish and was a huge John Wayne fan. In spare time, he liked to tinker in the garage. When the grandkids played with his combover, he was always a good sport. His devotion to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren was obvious; he had nicknames for them and teased them unmercifully. He hardly missed a birthday party or school function. Napier was best known for his homemade pineapple ice cream, which he made every single weekend for years on end. Napier and Shirley shared 58 fun-loving years together before her passing on Nov. 19, 2019. Also gone before him were his parents; 10 siblings and their spouses, Dorothy and Leroy Alexander, Gene and Minnie Napier, Bertha and Jess Bennett, Jimmy Napier, Otis and Billie Napier, Olin ‘Mutt’ and Faye Napier, Geneva and Herschel Johnson, Betty and Howard Davis, Howard and Martha Napier, and infant sister, Goldie Napier; an infant granddaughter, Casey Marie Napier; brother-in-law, Gene Easley; and sister-in-law, Bonnie Vance. Napier leaves behind three sons, Mike Napier, of Mansfield, Tom and Shelia Napier, and Tony and Tammy Napier, all of Hartville; and a daughter, Shelley and Darren Freeman, of Mountain Grove; eight grandchildren, Michelle and Jasper Cantrell, Melissa Sampson and Dalton Fishel, Neithan Napier, Kyle and Doni Napier, Nick and Cindy Napier, Ethen and Christina Napier, Rusty Epperly, and William Epperly; 16 great-grandchildren, Emily Sidney, Ty, Brody, Kelly, Hunter, Hoyt, Wyatt, Caitlynn, Dalton, Chloe, Zoey, Easton, Weston, Jaxston and Brayden; his sister, Patsy Glenn, of Ozark; three brothers-in-law, Harold Easley, Bob and Joann Easley and Ronnie and Francie Johns, all of Fordland; two sisters-in-law, Jerry Morse, of Springfield, and Connie Terril, of Fordland; numerous nieces and nephews; and many more friends and neighbors. Napier leaves behind a legacy of family, memories and moments that we celebrate today. Although we will miss him dearly, we hold on to the truth that we will see him, and departed loved ones, again one day. A funeral service was held on Wednesday, Sep. 30, 2020 at Liberty Cemetery with the Rev. Melvin Napier officiating. Holman-Howe Funeral Homes in Seymour handled the arrangements.
