Obituary – Billy C. York
Billy Cyrus York, 79, son of Cyrus and Lydia (Hebblethwaite), was born on July 25, 1944, in Licking, Mo. He went to be with our Lord on June 19, 2024, in West Plains, Mo.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Geraldine; son Gary; brothers Lloyd and James; and sisters Pat and Zelda.
He is survived by his sons, Greg and Keith; daughter Tiffany; seven grandkids; two great-grandkids; two brothers; five sisters; and hundreds of nieces and nephews.
Billy grew up in Licking, Mo. He went to Shipp School and was drafted into the U.S. Army. After his training he was sent to Vietnam. Upon returning from Vietnam, he married his wife, Geraldine, on the 2nd of May, 1971. They were married for 42 years before her death in 2013.
He worked most of his life cutting pine poles, logs and firewood. He was a janitor and drove a school bus for 10 years at Raymondville Elementary School.
Billy enjoyed long road trips to see what was around the corner. He traveled to the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, the Four Corners, Mt. Rushmore, and to the top of Pikes Peak. But he always returned home to Missouri, where he and Geraldine drove “ALL” the backroads in Texas County.
When he was younger, he could always be found playing softball on Friday night at Deer Lick Park in Licking, but as he got older, he switched to playing dominoes, Skipbo and Phaze 10 with his friends and family. He was always ready for a hunting or fishing trip, especially ice fishing in Colorado. He always knew where the fish were biting on Big Creek and the deer were traveling on Golden Hills.
He never met a stranger; he was always willing to help someone in need. He gave away more firewood than he sold most winters.
Most of all he loved to spend time with his grandkids. He would drive to El Paso, Texas, and Colorado for their birthdays, take the grandkids to Big Creek to play in the water, or just sit on the front porch and watch them ride their bikes.
He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
A potluck and memorial service in celebration of his life will be held at the Raymondville Fairgrounds Community Center, 185 Park St., Raymondville, Mo., at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the 27th of July, 2024. Please bring pictures to show to all in attendance and wear your favorite button up shirt and Bass Pro Trucker hat.
