Billie Mae Heap

1923 - 2010

ODESSA Billie Mae Heap was the youngest of three girls born to Benjamin and Mattie Kirby. She was born on June 22, 1923, at home in Corbet, Texas. Her early years were spent on her family's cotton farm, a one-room schoolhouse and the Baptist church. At nine years of age, she lost her father to a massive heart attack. It was during the early years of the Great Depression, leaving just Billie and mother. Billie worked in an ice cream parlor and two movie theaters to make fifteen cents a day in order to help support herself and her mother. Her life was extremely hard, but she learned two important lessons that remained with her all of her life. They were: to trust in the Lord for all things and work hard and honestly.
When she was a young woman, she and her mother moved to Denver City, Texas. One afternoon she was watching a "sand-lot" baseball game, when a ball was hit out of the park by a young man. Billie retrieved the ball and threw it back into the field accidentally hitting the young man. Little did she know, that that young man would become the love of her life, and her husband. Billie and Hub Heap were married on January 30, 1940, in Denver City, Texas, and spent 67 years together in marriage. Together Hub and Billie Heap founded Heap Equipment Company Inc. and worked together side by side for over 50 years.
Billie was dedicated to God and her family. She also was dedicated to the deaf. She was the Cub Scout leader for her grandson's deaf Cub Scout troop. She received a commendation from the state of Texas for being an "outstanding volunteer for the deaf in Texas." She and Hub were members of Temple Baptist Church, Odessa, Texas.
Billie is preceded in death by her parents; her two sisters; and loving husband, Harry Herbert Heap. She is also preceded in death by her son, Harry Kirby Heap; and two of her grandsons.
She is survived by her daughter, Marsha Heap Fairchild of Midland, Texas; and her son, Billy Craig Heap of Big Lake, Texas. Billie has eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Home Hospice 516 N. Texas, Odessa, TX 79761 or to the Highland Council for the Deaf P.O. Box 1935, Big Spring, TX 79721. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those that cared for Billie during her final days, especially, Parks Methodist Nursing Home staff and Home Hospice of Odessa.
There will be a visitation on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, from
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home in Odessa, Texas. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 30, 2010, at 10 a.m. at CrossRoads Fellowship Chapel in Odessa, Texas. The Rev. Griffin Jones to officiate. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.