Billie Hancock |
Billie Hancock
|
Beulah B. “Billie” Rockwell was born January 31, 1921, in Grand Junction, Iowa, the daughter of Ernest and Anna (Jackson) Rockwell. She grew up in the Bayard area where she graduated from Bayard Consolidated School in 1938.
Following graduation she came to Martin, South Dakota, to help her sister on a ranch. There she met Dale Hancock.
She was united in marriage to Charles Dale Hancock on September 10, 1938, in Kadoka, South Dakota. They made their home on a ranch south of Tuthill, South Dakota, until 1946, when they moved to a ranch north of Ottumwa, where they lived until 1980.
In 1980, Billie and Dale moved to Albia, Iowa, to care for her mother. After her mother’s death they continued to live in Albia, where she was a volunteer with Helping Hands and with Hospice of Monroe County. She was selected Hospice Volunteer of the year in 1996, for that area.
After Dale’s death in 1982, Billie continued to live in Albia until 1997 when she moved back to Philip. Since returning to Philip, she has enjoyed doing volunteer work at the Philip Nursing Home and with the Senior Citizen Center.
As a child, Billie attended the Methodist Episcopal Church in Bayard, Iowa. While in Albia she attended and was active in the Presbyterian Church until it closed, then she transferred to the First Christian Church. Since returning to Philip, she has attended and been active in the Evangelical Free Church in Philip.
Thankful for having shared her life are her two daughters Enid Schulz of Philip, and Judith Neff and her husband Jim Angell of Sedro Woolley, Washington; four grandchildren Janice Schofield and her husband Mike of Philip, Larry Schulz and his wife Rose Ann of Philip, Roger Schulz and his wife Sherryl of Spearfish, and Margo Thayer and her husband Leo of Spanaway, Washington; seven great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; a granddaughter-in-law Liz Neff of Independence, Missouri; three brothers Clarence Rockwell and his wife Shirley of Albia, Jay Rockwell and his wife Gerry of Sioux Falls, and Richard Rockwell and his wife Dee of Oxon Hill, Maryland; one sister Darlene Palmer of Des Moines, Iowa; and a host of other relatives and friends.
In addition to her husband Dale, Billie was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson Sgt. Charles Neff; one brother Howard Rockwell; two sisters Annise Braman and Blanch Jackson; and two son-in-laws Victor Neff, and Lyle Schulz.
Visitation will be held 3-6 p.m. on Monday, January 30, at the Rush Funeral Home in Philip, and one hour preceding the services at the church on Tuesday.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 31, at the Evangelical Free Church in Philip, with Pastor Gary Wahl offiating.
Interment will be at the Masonic Cemetery in Philip.
A memorial has been established.
