Billie Jean Lueders Hudson Williams died July 9,2026. She was born on the family farm near Muldoon, Fayette County, Texas on March 14, 1935 to Martha Lea (Boehnke) and Harry Lueders. She was welcomed by her three older brothers, Harold Lea, J W, and Harry James (Jimmy), and later joined by her sister and best friend, Betty Lou.

Billie and Betty played dolls and card games, put jigsaw puzzles together, enjoyed nature and picked wildflowers for their outdoor Easter nests, picked cotton on the family farm, swam in the family stock tank, wore each other's clothes, baked cakes and cookies, helped their mom in the kitchen and garden, sawed wood for the family stove, gathered eggs, and did so many things together. Betty considered Billie an authority on everything – especially on matters regarding dating and advice to the lovelorn, clothes and fashion, manners, and a million other things. When Billie married, it was a big adjustment for Betty, who then had to write letters to her sister for advice.

Billie attended elementary school at the 1-room Bethany schoolhouse between Muldoon and Cistern beginning at age 5. She attended junior high in Cistern, and rode the bus to Flatonia for high school. She was an excellent student. Despite being held out of school one year, she skipped a grade and graduated as class valedictorian shortly after her 17th birthday in 1952, and received the Outstanding Graduate Award from the Flatonia Rotary Club. She received numerous awards in high school (class favorite and FFA sweetheart among others), was the editor of the school paper, served on the school annual staff, and was the president of FHA.

During her junior year of high school, a new boy from the Moulton area (a senior) started attending Flatonia High. She met Harvey Martin Hudson in American History class, and they later would marry in July 1955 after Harvey graduated from Texas A&M College. While waiting for Harvey to graduate, Billie worked for 3 years as the secretary/bookkeeper for Judge E. A. Arnim, a lawyer in Flatonia.

The couple moved to Hollywood, California, since Harvey took a job working for Boeing in Burbank while he waited for his U.S. Air Force training to begin. After a short stint there, they moved to Hondo, Texas so Harvey could train at Lackland AFB. The first of Billie's four children, Hank Martin, was born in October 1956 at the base hospital. After Harvey completed his primary training, the young family transferred to Webb AFB in Big Spring, Texas and later to Cannon AFB in Clovis, New Mexico. Harvey died there in a training accident in July 1958.

Billie and her son moved to Victoria, Texas and rented a small house. Her brother Jimmy's wife, Patsy, kept Hank during the day so that Billie could attend Victoria College to pursue becoming a court stenographer. It was there she met a young football player, Charles Rhem Williams, Jr., who was attending the college on the G.I. Bill after serving 4 years in the Air Force. They married in July 1959, and moved to Canyon, Texas when Charlie got a scholarship as a quarterback and kicker for West Texas State College. While there, the second of Billie's children, Craig Ronald, was born in May 1960.

After Charlie graduated, the young family moved to Brownwood, Texas where Charlie worked as an assistant football coach at Howard Payne College, under their legendary head coach, Rusty Russell, for some of that time. While in Brownwood, Billie's two other children were born, Vanessa Lea in May 1961 and Russell (Rusty) Wayne (named for Coach Russell) in September 1962. A succession of moves followed as Charlie got better and better coaching jobs, with time spent in several cities and towns in south and central Texas (Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, and Luling). The last move was to Smithville, Texas (Charlie's home town) in 1968 so Charlie could coach at Flatonia High School. After a couple of years as head football coach there, Charlie began working for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad and stayed with "the Katy" until his retirement in 1999.

Billie was a stay-at-home mom until all the kids were in school. When Rusty started kindergarten, she started working for the Chamber of Commerce in Smithville. After a year or so, she began working as a teller at First State Bank in Smithville. In 1972, shortly after she started, there was an armed robbery at the bank. She later appeared in the movie made about the robbery, and her scene was really the only part of the movie worth watching. Billie worked at First State for 44 years in various roles of increasing responsibility, and was the Assistant Vice President of the bank when she retired. Nearly everyone in Smithville knew her from seeing her in the bank all those years.

Billie was an excellent cook, as was her mother, but her mother did not teach her how to cook. She learned to cook after she married, using recipes from her copy of the Betty Crocker Cookbook. She was known for her chocolate and coconut pies, her chocolate chip cookies, and her Thanksgiving and Christmas dressing. She learned to sew at a young age and was a skilled seamstress, and made many outfits for herself and Vanessa, including a wedding dress for Vanessa. She was very artistic, made many beautiful drawings, and had the most beautiful handwriting.

Billie received salvation through Jesus Christ when she was young, and lived her life as a living witness to the goodness of God. Her kindness was a hallmark to all those around her, as were her honesty and integrity.

Billie was preceded in death by her parents, her three brothers, her two husbands, and her beloved daughter Vanessa. She is survived by her sister Betty Lou Lueders Keener, her sons and daughters-in-law Hank and Janna, Craig and Suzanne, and Rusty, her eight grandsons, and her six great-grandsons and three great-granddaughters. She was especially proud that all her grandsons graduated from college.

A celebration of Billie's life will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, July 15th at Marrs Jones Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest in Young Schoolhouse Cemetery alongside Charlie and Vanessa. Pallbearers are her grandsons Harrison Hudson, Thomas Hudson, Patrick Hudson, Chris Williams, Cole Williams, Charles Niesner, Ralston Williams, and Wyatt Williams. Honorary pallbearers are her great-grandchildren Henry Hudson, George Hudson, Coy Williams, Case Williams, Chandler Williams, Colt Williams, Finley Niesner, Wrenlee Williams, and Justin Williams.

The family would like to thank Billie's caregivers, Pam Melchor, Cheryl McNeil, and Rhonda Bisland, and the staff at Towers Nursing Home, for the compassion and care they gave to our mother.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating to one of Billie's favorite charities:

St. Joseph's Indian School

St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

For those we love, Any time is too short. Any distance is too far, Any parting is too long, and Any passing is too soon.