Billie Brown

Billie Arlene Gruben Brown passed away Friday, March 15, 2019 following a brief illness.
Billie was born October 2, 1929 to Arlon and Verona Cross in the Cross Roads community of Fisher County, Texas. She attended Roby schools, graduating from Roby High School in 1947. As a student, Billie was voted both Football and FFA Sweetheart.
Billie was married to Glen Gruben 47 years until his death in 1994. They made their home and raised their family in the Cross Roads community where her life centered around her beloved place of worship, Cross Roads Baptist Church. Billie first attended Cross Roads during her first week of life and remained a faithful and active member until health issues prevented her attendance. She was very active in all of her children's activities as a Sunday School teacher at church and a room parent at school.
As a community member, Billie enjoyed her volunteer service as a Pink Lady at Fisher County Hospital as well as numerous other civic groups and events throughout her lifetime. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her greatest joys and her home will always be remembered as a place of warmth and love. She was quite talented in crafting original creations such as Christmas decorations, floral arrangements and an endless variety of items she created as a skilled seamstress. She reveled in adorning her home with her personally designed treasures for memorable family holiday celebrations. She was completely devoted to her family and spent her life in its service.
Her professional life, while perhaps not spent as a wage earner, was as a devoted farmer's wife. Days spent moving equipment, preparing meals and counting the long hours while Glen toiled in the fields qualify as her work well done.
Billie married Carroll Brown November 10, 2001. They enjoyed life together as latter-years companions and mutually enriched the lives of each other.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Glen and her sister Ima Jean Huckaby.
Billie is survived by her husband Carroll Brown; her children Jim (Barbara) Gruben of Rotan, Donna (Norvelle) Kennedy of Lubbock and Maury (Theresa) Gruben of Frisco; grandchildren Misty (Jim) Rutherford, Katie (Roy) Hendley, Byron (Lindsay) Kennedy, Lauren (Klay) McWilliams and Taylor and Sarah Gruben; great-grandchildren Jaydon and Chesney Fronterhouse, Tate, Reece and Sydnie Hendley, Tucker, Emery and Sadie McWilliams and Graham Kennedy.
Pallbearers are Byron Kennedy, Klay McWilliams, Roy Hendley, Jaydon Fronterhouse, Todd Gruben and Harold Gruben and honorary pallbearer Richard Knous.
Special recognition is extended to the wonderfully loving caregivers at Heritage House, Fisher County Hospital and Hospice of West Texas: your loving kindnesses will always be recalled with great fondness.
Visitation will be held at Cross Roads Baptist Church on Sunday, March 17th between 4:00 - 5:00 pm. Funeral service will also be at Cross Roads on Monday, March 18th at 2:00 to be officiated by Tony Gruben and Koby Strawser with burial to follow in Rotan's Belvieu Cemetery. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Cross Roads Baptist Church.

Visitation

Cross Roads Baptist Church
602 FM 1657
Rotan, TX  79546
Sunday, March 17, 2019
4:00 - 5:00 pm

Service

Cross Roads Baptist Church
602 FM 1657
Rotan, TX  79546
Monday, March 18, 2019
2:00 pm

Cemetery

Belvieu Cemetery
2 miles east of Rotan on hwy 92
Rotan, TX  79546