Billy E. Crenshaw
Billy E. Crenshaw went to be with our Lord Jesus on Nov. 25, 2023. He passed at St. Catherine's Village in Madison. Billy was 92 years old and the unofficial case of death was end-stage COPD.
Billy, the sixth of nine children, was born on Aug. 28, 1931, in Shreveport, LA, to Isaac Luther Crenshaw and Nellie Beckner Crenshaw. At Byrd High School he played baseball at 1st and 3rd base positions and was president of the Spanish Club.
Billy was salutatorian of the first graduating class of Byrd, the first high school in LA to offer 12 years. He worked at the A&P Grocery to save money for Centenary College. Billy said lightning struck him when he met Jean Harper, his future wife and love of his life, at a Shreveport movie theater.
They married on Nov. 11, 1951 and had three daughters- Debbie, Karen and Robin, their special child who passed in 1992 at age 32. Billy joined the U.S.A.F. in 1951 during the Korean War. He was stationed at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, where he trained in electronics radar. He was one of two electronics instructors who remained at Keesler while the others went to Korea.
He was discharged in 1955 with the rank of staff sargant. Billy began his 31-year career with AT&T in 1956 in LA, where he maintained four microwave stations between Shreveport and Monroe and wrote instructional booklets. His job took him and his family to AL, MS, NYC, FL and GA.
In Atlanta, where he and his family lived for 37 years, Billy became a district level manager and was instrumental in planning the AT&T building in Midtown Atlanta.
He retired in 1987. In 2011 Billy, Jean and Debbie moved to Tyler, TX., where Jean died from Alzheimer's in 2016. He and Debbie moved in 2019 to Oxford, MS, where they were members of Oxford-University UMC and where Billy was involved in two bridge groups. Billy and Debbie moved to Madison, MS in June, 2023.
He played bridge and taught classes in Oxford and at St. Catherine's. Billy was preceded in death by his parents, his eight siblings, his beloved wife, Jean, his youngest daughter, Robin and two nieces and one nephew. He is survived by daughters Debbie Crenshaw of St. Catherine's Village, Karen Swenson (Dale) of Suwanee, GA and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Billy's life was held Dec. 2, 2023 at Sebrell Funeral Home. Billy loved St. Catherine's Village, especially his cherished friends there and the beautiful lake which he viewed from his residence.
According to his wishes, please send any memorial remembrances to St. Dominic Health Services Foundation- Dominican Fund which assists St. Catherine's Village Life Care residents who are in financial difficulty. The address is St. Dominic Health Services Foundation, 969 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216.