Billy Keith Needham

Billy Keith Needham, 73, of Cameron passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at Baylor, Scott & White in Temple.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale. Burial will be in Salty Cemetery near Rockdale.

Serving as pallbearers are Demetri Lara, Andrew Walsh, Daniel Thompson, and Keith Beard.
Billy was born on Jan. 22, 1948, to Homer Lee and Alma Neomi (Harper) Needham in Cameron and attended Yoe High School. On August 26, 1965, he married Barbara Sue Jackson in the First Baptist Church in Cameron.

He was extremely proud of his 26 years of service in the United States Army. During his service, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars, he was in an artillery unit and an Airborne Paratrooper. After retiring from the Army, he worked at the Post Office for 16 years and as a jailor for the Sheriff’s Office.

He was a devoted and loving husband and father. He enjoyed building things and was a perfectionist to a fault. He enjoyed history and watching the news.

He was preceded in death by his father, Homer Lee Needham; mother, Alma Neomi Terry; and parents-in-law, Monora and Ib Jackson.

Billy is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Barbara Needham of Cameron; daughters, Barbara Michelle Beard of Alabama, Keitha Constance Thompson and husband Daniel of Seattle, Wash., and Stephanie Lynn Lara and husband Albert of Cameron; aunt, Mary Jen Harper of Belton; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and furbabies, Mindy Wendy, Lucy, and Tommy.