Billie Jack Richardson Layne, 97, passed away Saturday, March 2, 2024 at NEA Baptist Hospital.
She was born January 18, 1927 in Monette to the late Roy and Effie Richardson. She was a lifelong resident of Monette and a retired public school teacher. Miss Billie Jack began teaching at one room school on Upper Poplar Ridge outside of Monette and taught thirty-seven years at Leachville and Monette. She also taught adult education for an additional seventeen years with Cotton Boll and Delta Vocational Technical Schools helping many area adults obtain their GED certifications. Combined her career spanned over fifty years in the education profession. It was truly her life work and she loved teaching and helping children and later even adults.
She really enjoyed attending school reunions. She considered all her students as her kids and she loved them all dearly. Her students actually spanned three generations and were all considered as extended family. She loved them all so much.
In younger years, she and her husband were active in the Monette American Legion and Monette Volunteer Fire Department. She was a member of the Monette First Baptist Church.
Miss Billie Jack, or Nannie to all her family, was so proud of her family and loved talking to them. She always had some advice or encouragement to pass along. She loved that many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren had followed her into the teaching profession.
She was a huge sports fan and spent many, many hours at baseball fields and basketball gymnasiums watching her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids compete in their games. She was fortunate enough to be able to witness her grandchildren win state high school basketball championships five times. She loved talking about those great-times.
She also a huge STL Cardinals fan all her life, she loved her Cardinals making numerous trips to Busch Stadium to watch them.
She was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-two years, Lucian “Jiggs” Layne Sr.; a very special aunt, Edna Mae Freeman.
She is survived by her children, Cindy Hatch (Mike) of Monette and Skip Layne (Marla) of Jordan; grandchildren, Kristi Austin (Jeff) of Monette, Brian Hatch of Jonesboro, Chip Layne (Ashley) of Mammoth Springs and Crystal Layne Cline (Jeff) of Jonesboro; great-grandchildren, Ryan Austin of Monette, Layne Austin (Allison) and Whitlee Layne all of Jonesboro, Taylor Layne (Morgan) of Black Oak, Kelsea Cline and Kaitlyn Cline both of Jonesboro; a special “daughter”, Patti Qualls (Gary) of Monette; special friend, Eva Gonzalez and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and former students.
A celebration of her life will be 11:30 a.m. Monday, March 4, 2024 at Gregg Funeral Home Chapel in Monette with Eddie Dunigan officiating with Rev. Jared Russell and Crystal Cline. Entombment will be at the Monette Memorial Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until time of service at the funeral home.
Honored to serve as pallbearers are Chip Layne, Taylor Layne, Brian Hatch, Ryan Austin, Layne Austin and Jeff Cline and as honorary pallbearers her former students and the Classes of 1963 and 1967.
A special thanks to the staff at Monette Manor and NEA Baptist Hospital for all their wonderful and loving care.
Lasting memorials may be sent to Monette First Baptist Church or St. Jude’s Hospital.