Billie Hugh Harris , 94, of Beckville, TX, passed away on Wednesday morning, Nov. 29, 2017, in Carthage. He was born on March 30, 1923, on the family farm in Panola County west of Beckville near Martin Creek to the late Jesse Will and Maude Pearl Shivers Harris. He was the youngest of the four Harris children. Mr. Harris moved to Beckville when he was 2 years old and attended Beckville High School with the class of 1940. He married Willie Mae Lane on Aug. 7, 1942, in Tatum and at the time he had $2.40 to his name and no job. He and Willie Mae were married over 75 years, and he was very dedicated to her and his family. Mr. Harris worked as a bookkeeper for Panola County for 16 years and later at Texas Eastman as a maintenance clerk for 26 years until his retirement. He was an avid trader and rancher his entire life. His passion was family, friends, and livestock. He always had dogs, cows, goats, and horses. He raised, rode and showed Missouri Fox-trotting horses, having won the grand championship in the amateur class. Mr. Harris was a great story teller of events that happened to immediate family and himself in his youth growing up in a small farming community. He was a founding member of the Beckville Lions Club. He served on the Beckville I.S.D. Board of Trustees and was the first president of the Panola County Appraisal District. Mr. Harris was dedicated to Panola County and Beckville where he had lived his lifetime. He was a member of Beckville United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Juanita Hunt, Garl Dee Allums, and Jesse Helen Jackson.

Survivors include his loving wife, Willie Mae Harris of Beckville; sons, William Jess "Bill" Harris and wife Sara of Beckville, Hugh Lane Harris and wife Cindy of Longview, and Carey Don Harris and wife Phyllis of Beckville; grandchildren, Karie Lane Lindsey and husband Terry, Amy Marie Harris and husband Brett, Erin Elane Krom and husband Dean, Kent Will Harris and wife Niki, Jess Lane Harris and wife Emily, and Lee Hart Harris and wife Ariceli; and 14 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at Martin Cemetery with Rev. Jeff Kraft and Bro. Jackie Harris officiating under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers are Terry Lindsay, Brett Harris, Kent Harris, Dean Krom, Jess Harris and Lee Harris.  Honorary pallbearers are Hugh Martin, Keith Adams, Jimmy Crawford, Lynn Rogers, Wayne Elliott, Tommy Williams, Hoyt Kelly and Buddy Tompkins.

Memorials may be made to Martin Cemetery, c/o Ann Tuttle, 731 CR 258, Beckville, TX 75631, Beckville UMC, P.O. Box 55, Beckville, TX 75631, or the Beckville Ex-Students Assn., P.O. Box 37, Beckville, TX 75631.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.