William “Billy” Gerald Bethany, age 87, passed away on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at Winston Medical Center in Louisville, Mississippi, with his loving family at his side. Visitation will be Monday, June 3, at Nowell-Massey Funeral Home from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. and Tuesday at the funeral home from 9 a.m. until service time. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 4 in the Nowell-Massey Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Mark Mayo and Reverend Larry Mizell officiating. Interment will immediately follow the service in Memorial Cemetery.
Billy was born October 12, 1936, to Alton and Mildred Smith Bethany in Brooksville, Mississippi. He was a member of Ellison Ridge Baptist Church but most recently he attended Murphy Creek Baptist Church with his family. For 38 years, he was a distributor for Pet Dairy and Brookshire’s in three different counties. Billy enjoyed his long-time membership in the Louisville Country Club. He was an avid golfer and told his family to never make plans for him on Tuesdays and Thursdays because those were his golfing days! Billy also enjoyed hunting and fishing as long as his health allowed him to participate. He answered the call of his country by serving in the United States Army National Guard.
Billy is survived by his daughter, Brigitte Sheridan and husband, Ken, of Louisville; and his sister, Evelyn Brumfield and husband, Jewell, of Bogalusa, Louisiana. He is also survived by his loving nieces and nephews: Bruce (Michelle) Brumfield, Brian Brumfield, John (Angel) Eaves, Jr., Paige Eaves (Morgan) Ray, and Tiffany Eaves (Sam) Schlesinger; in addition to great-nieces and nephews, other family members, and friends. Billy leaves behind his lifelong friend whom he felt as close to as a brother, Bud Brown; and his special caregiver, Jane Pearson. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 48 years, Cynthia Lovorn Bethany; his parents; and his in-laws, O. T. and Bonnie Kate Lovorn, and Patricia and John Eaves.
Serving as pallbearers are Bruce Brumfield, Brian Brumfield, John Eaves, Jr., Ross Easley, Jimmy Marlowe, Clinton Mills and John Wright. Honorary pallbearers are his golfing buddies at Louisville Country Club. Memorials may be given to Spring Hill Cemetery, DeKalb, MS, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital online at stjude.org.
Services are under the direction of Nowell-Massey Funeral Home, 724 North Columbus Avenue, Louisville, MS. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by signing the guest register at www.nowellmasseyfuneralhome.com.
