Era Elizabeth Billingsley born Oct. 24, 1907, who was honored as being the oldest living Stephen F. Austin state University graduate at the time of SFA's 90th anniversary in 2013, went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, in Garrison.
Her funeral service were held at Cason Monk-Metcalf Sunset Chapel, located at 5400 North Street in Nacogdoches. Burial at Sunset Memorial Park, directly across North Street from the funeral home.
Era was born in the Silas community about seven miles south of Timpson. She was the youngest of John Franklin and Melissa Prince Billingsley's seven children.
Era and most of her family continued to live on the farm in Silas until the fall of 1923 "the year that SFA opened" when they moved to Nacogdoches.
They probably moved their belongings in a horse-drawn wagon, and one of the older brothers even led the family milk cow all the way from Silas. Era and four of her siblings immediately enrolled in either Nacogdoches High School or the SFA "sub-college." Over the next several years all five continued their education at SFA until they completed their bachelor's and/or master's degrees. Subsequently, all five taught many years in the Texas public schools.
After completing her SFA Bachelor's degree in 1930, Era went on to receive her master's degree from Peabody College (Nashville, Tennessee) in 1940. Era's teaching career took her first to El Paso County, then to Colmesneil, to Beaumont, and finally to Houston for 27 years. All told, she taught 40 years, mostly as a second grade teacher.
After retirement in 1972, she lived in the Heights area of Houston until 2008 when she moved into The Arbor Assited Living facility in Nacogdoches and, then, in 2009 to the Garrison Nursing Home.
Since she was unmarried, during her teaching career Era usually spent a lot of her time off from school (such as during holidays and summer vacation) at her parents' home on Elm Street in Nacogdoches. While there, she usually had many opportunities to interact in a very positive way with her nieces and nephews. She always had time to talk with each one in her usual quiet, kind and meaningful way. Throughout her life, Era was a beautiful example of a fine Christian lady, not only to her family, but to the many thousands of elementary school children that she taught. Era's relationship with the Lord began in Silas where she was a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and continued in other local churches wherever she lived. Before moving from Houston, she was a very active member of the non-denominational Stude Revival Center.
Era was preceded in death by her parents and all six of her siblings, brothers, Herman, Preston, Claude, and Council Billingsley and twin sisters Lela Slonaker and Lily McCauley; as well as three nephews, Ray, James, and Don Billingsley.
She is survived by nieces, Frances King of Mesquite, Linda Amos of Tomball, and Geri Benker of Moulton; plus nephews, David Billingsley of Timpson, Dana Billingsley of Scottsdale, Arizona, Bill Billingsley of Austin, and Paul Slonaker of Fort Worth. Also surviving are several great and great-great nieces and nephews plus one great-great-great niece.
Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.
Published in The Daily Sentinel on Feb. 3, 2016
Her funeral service were held at Cason Monk-Metcalf Sunset Chapel, located at 5400 North Street in Nacogdoches. Burial at Sunset Memorial Park, directly across North Street from the funeral home.
Era was born in the Silas community about seven miles south of Timpson. She was the youngest of John Franklin and Melissa Prince Billingsley's seven children.
Era and most of her family continued to live on the farm in Silas until the fall of 1923 "the year that SFA opened" when they moved to Nacogdoches.
They probably moved their belongings in a horse-drawn wagon, and one of the older brothers even led the family milk cow all the way from Silas. Era and four of her siblings immediately enrolled in either Nacogdoches High School or the SFA "sub-college." Over the next several years all five continued their education at SFA until they completed their bachelor's and/or master's degrees. Subsequently, all five taught many years in the Texas public schools.
After completing her SFA Bachelor's degree in 1930, Era went on to receive her master's degree from Peabody College (Nashville, Tennessee) in 1940. Era's teaching career took her first to El Paso County, then to Colmesneil, to Beaumont, and finally to Houston for 27 years. All told, she taught 40 years, mostly as a second grade teacher.
After retirement in 1972, she lived in the Heights area of Houston until 2008 when she moved into The Arbor Assited Living facility in Nacogdoches and, then, in 2009 to the Garrison Nursing Home.
Since she was unmarried, during her teaching career Era usually spent a lot of her time off from school (such as during holidays and summer vacation) at her parents' home on Elm Street in Nacogdoches. While there, she usually had many opportunities to interact in a very positive way with her nieces and nephews. She always had time to talk with each one in her usual quiet, kind and meaningful way. Throughout her life, Era was a beautiful example of a fine Christian lady, not only to her family, but to the many thousands of elementary school children that she taught. Era's relationship with the Lord began in Silas where she was a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and continued in other local churches wherever she lived. Before moving from Houston, she was a very active member of the non-denominational Stude Revival Center.
Era was preceded in death by her parents and all six of her siblings, brothers, Herman, Preston, Claude, and Council Billingsley and twin sisters Lela Slonaker and Lily McCauley; as well as three nephews, Ray, James, and Don Billingsley.
She is survived by nieces, Frances King of Mesquite, Linda Amos of Tomball, and Geri Benker of Moulton; plus nephews, David Billingsley of Timpson, Dana Billingsley of Scottsdale, Arizona, Bill Billingsley of Austin, and Paul Slonaker of Fort Worth. Also surviving are several great and great-great nieces and nephews plus one great-great-great niece.
Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.
Published in The Daily Sentinel on Feb. 3, 2016
Era Elizabeth Billingsley born Oct. 24, 1907, who was honored as being the oldest living Stephen F. Austin state University graduate at the time of SFA's 90th anniversary in 2013, went home to be with her Lord on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, in Garrison.
Her funeral service were held at Cason Monk-Metcalf Sunset Chapel, located at 5400 North Street in Nacogdoches. Burial at Sunset Memorial Park, directly across North Street from the funeral home.
Era was born in the Silas community about seven miles south of Timpson. She was the youngest of John Franklin and Melissa Prince Billingsley's seven children.
Era and most of her family continued to live on the farm in Silas until the fall of 1923 "the year that SFA opened" when they moved to Nacogdoches.
They probably moved their belongings in a horse-drawn wagon, and one of the older brothers even led the family milk cow all the way from Silas. Era and four of her siblings immediately enrolled in either Nacogdoches High School or the SFA "sub-college." Over the next several years all five continued their education at SFA until they completed their bachelor's and/or master's degrees. Subsequently, all five taught many years in the Texas public schools.
After completing her SFA Bachelor's degree in 1930, Era went on to receive her master's degree from Peabody College (Nashville, Tennessee) in 1940. Era's teaching career took her first to El Paso County, then to Colmesneil, to Beaumont, and finally to Houston for 27 years. All told, she taught 40 years, mostly as a second grade teacher.
After retirement in 1972, she lived in the Heights area of Houston until 2008 when she moved into The Arbor Assited Living facility in Nacogdoches and, then, in 2009 to the Garrison Nursing Home.
Since she was unmarried, during her teaching career Era usually spent a lot of her time off from school (such as during holidays and summer vacation) at her parents' home on Elm Street in Nacogdoches. While there, she usually had many opportunities to interact in a very positive way with her nieces and nephews. She always had time to talk with each one in her usual quiet, kind and meaningful way. Throughout her life, Era was a beautiful example of a fine Christian lady, not only to her family, but to the many thousands of elementary school children that she taught. Era's relationship with the Lord began in Silas where she was a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and continued in other local churches wherever she lived. Before moving from Houston, she was a very active member of the non-denominational Stude Revival Center.
Era was preceded in death by her parents and all six of her siblings, brothers, Herman, Preston, Claude, and Council Billingsley and twin sisters Lela Slonaker and Lily McCauley; as well as three nephews, Ray, James, and Don Billingsley.
She is survived by nieces, Frances King of Mesquite, Linda Amos of Tomball, and Geri Benker of Moulton; plus nephews, David Billingsley of Timpson, Dana Billingsley of Scottsdale, Arizona, Bill Billingsley of Austin, and Paul Slonaker of Fort Worth. Also surviving are several great and great-great nieces and nephews plus one great-great-great niece.
Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.
Published in The Daily Sentinel on Feb. 3, 2016
Her funeral service were held at Cason Monk-Metcalf Sunset Chapel, located at 5400 North Street in Nacogdoches. Burial at Sunset Memorial Park, directly across North Street from the funeral home.
Era was born in the Silas community about seven miles south of Timpson. She was the youngest of John Franklin and Melissa Prince Billingsley's seven children.
Era and most of her family continued to live on the farm in Silas until the fall of 1923 "the year that SFA opened" when they moved to Nacogdoches.
They probably moved their belongings in a horse-drawn wagon, and one of the older brothers even led the family milk cow all the way from Silas. Era and four of her siblings immediately enrolled in either Nacogdoches High School or the SFA "sub-college." Over the next several years all five continued their education at SFA until they completed their bachelor's and/or master's degrees. Subsequently, all five taught many years in the Texas public schools.
After completing her SFA Bachelor's degree in 1930, Era went on to receive her master's degree from Peabody College (Nashville, Tennessee) in 1940. Era's teaching career took her first to El Paso County, then to Colmesneil, to Beaumont, and finally to Houston for 27 years. All told, she taught 40 years, mostly as a second grade teacher.
After retirement in 1972, she lived in the Heights area of Houston until 2008 when she moved into The Arbor Assited Living facility in Nacogdoches and, then, in 2009 to the Garrison Nursing Home.
Since she was unmarried, during her teaching career Era usually spent a lot of her time off from school (such as during holidays and summer vacation) at her parents' home on Elm Street in Nacogdoches. While there, she usually had many opportunities to interact in a very positive way with her nieces and nephews. She always had time to talk with each one in her usual quiet, kind and meaningful way. Throughout her life, Era was a beautiful example of a fine Christian lady, not only to her family, but to the many thousands of elementary school children that she taught. Era's relationship with the Lord began in Silas where she was a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and continued in other local churches wherever she lived. Before moving from Houston, she was a very active member of the non-denominational Stude Revival Center.
Era was preceded in death by her parents and all six of her siblings, brothers, Herman, Preston, Claude, and Council Billingsley and twin sisters Lela Slonaker and Lily McCauley; as well as three nephews, Ray, James, and Don Billingsley.
She is survived by nieces, Frances King of Mesquite, Linda Amos of Tomball, and Geri Benker of Moulton; plus nephews, David Billingsley of Timpson, Dana Billingsley of Scottsdale, Arizona, Bill Billingsley of Austin, and Paul Slonaker of Fort Worth. Also surviving are several great and great-great nieces and nephews plus one great-great-great niece.
Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.
Published in The Daily Sentinel on Feb. 3, 2016
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