Billy Rolland Bledsoe, son of the late Granville Rolland and Dorothy Cathrine (Nichols) Bledsoe, was born March 18, 1937, in Okemah, Okla., and passed away Sep. 13, 2020, at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield. He was 83 years, 5 months and 26 days of age. Billy married Betty Barbara Gresham on Jan. 15, 1955, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Three children were born to this union. Barbara was his love in life, his friend and partner. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for each other. Before they were married, Billy would go to the café where Barbara worked every Saturday and order short stacks (two pancakes) and a cup of coffee for 25 cents. He always said she was the best waitress and cook. Billy joined the United States Air Force and they moved to Fairchild Airforce Base in Spokane, Wash. He was an Airman Second Class. There he taught himself to read and earned his GED. He read the Bible through and every newspaper he could get his hands on. He also learned to work with electricity, in heating and air conditioning and taught himself how to play the guitar. He was always ready to learn and try new things. When his tour ended, he moved his family back to Oklahoma and worked for a school as head of maintenance and managed the boilers. He’d get up every morning at 4 a.m., an hour earlier than was required, in order to make sure the school would be warm for the students, as most of them walked to school. They had five acres, one cow, one pig, and chickens, but Billy always wanted to leave the city and have a farm. So they sold out and he announced they were moving to Missouri in the Drury/Gentryville area. Barbara wasn’t sure about it and knew they looked just like the Beverly Hillbillies. They bought a 160-acre farm and started a dairy and raised feeder-pigs. He also drove a school bus for Dora School. After milk prices dropped, Billy went to truck driving school while Barbara and the kids milked and farmed. He drove over the road for many companies and had lots of trucking buddies. He team drove for General Electric with his son-in-law, George, and also drove for Running Rabbit. Deciding he wanted to drive closer to home, Billy started hauling milk locally and then bought his own milk truck with his older son, Ricky, while his younger son, Terry, ran the milking operation. He moved his family to Mountain Grove, sold his tanker to C & R Trucking, and helped them for a while. After that, he drove for Worrel Transport for many years until he retired. During retirement, he loved hunting and fishing, traveling, digging for gold, gardening and giving away his big tomatoes. Billy’s family and friends were his number one priority and treasure, which made him a very rich and blessed man. He prided himself on his work ethic: do your best by putting in 110 % and then you’ve done a good day’s work. He’d say, “if you don’t have a job and think there are no jobs, then you don’t really want to work.” Billy was always able to find work and was willing to help others find work as well. He found good in everyone and loved helping others. He would always advise his kids, “if you have a problem, try something else but like what you do.” Billy thought daddy/daughter dances were very special. His daughter, Debbie, always thought he was the best partner. He would often take her hunting, and nick named her “Hawkeye” because she would always spot the deer first. Billy was preceded in death by his parents, and one grandson, Brandon Bledsoe. He is survived by his wife of the their home, Betty Barbara Bledsoe; one sister, Nancy Orr and her husband, Howard; his children, Debbie Sparks and her husband, George; Ricky Bledsoe; and Terry Bledsoe, all of Mountain Grove; his grandchildren, Bobby Sparks and Randy Sparks, of Mountain Grove; Jason Bledsoe and his wife, Charity, of Dora; April Bledsoe, of St. Louis; and Drew Bledsoe, of Springfield; his great-grandchildren, Dakota Sparks, Jesse Sparks, Donnie Luck, Hunter Sparks, Wyatt Sparks, Nebraska Sparks, Kaylin Bledsoe, Gage Bledsoe, Brayden Lemons and Lorenzo Hernandez; and a host of family and friends who will miss him greatly. The family would like to extend a special “Thank You” to the Rev. Dwayne Sparks and Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home for making this time a little easier, and to Cox At Home and his special caregiver, Selina, whom Billy nicknamed “Sam.” Visitation for Billy Bledsoe will be Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, from 1-2 p.m. followed by a memorial service beginning at 2 p.m. in the Craig-Hurtt Chapel. Burial will be in the Pleasant Mound Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home, Mountain Grove. Online Condolences: www.craighurttfuneralhome.com.
