Willie Horton

Willie (Billy Gillis) Horton, 78, of Coleman, died Friday, December 15, 2017 at Coleman County Medical Center. Graveside service will be 3:00 p.m. Sunday, December 17, 2017 at the Glen Cove Cemetery Pavilion with Rev. James Posey officiating. Burial will be in the Glen Cove Cemetery. There will be a visitation from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 17th at Stevens Funeral Home, 400 West Pecan Street, Coleman. The procession to the cemetery will leave the funeral home at 2:30 p.m. Services are under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.

Willie was born September 20, 1939 to Dola Efert Horton and Virgie Merle Gillis. He grew up in Tennessee and attended school there. He enlisted in the United States Army and served in Germany during the Korean War. On September 12, 1976, he married Freida Cook in the chapel of the Ranger Inn Nursing Home so that her grandfather could be part of the ceremony. From 1969 to 1971, Willie was an officer with the Coleman Police Department, and even ran for Chief of Police. Willie and Freida moved back to Tennessee in 1979. He worked for Dover Elevator and was also a truck driver. He founded Back Roads Mission Ministries and gave out Bibles all over Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. He loved playing music with friends and loved his Lord. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Tennessee. In 2009, he and Freida moved back to Coleman. He was also an ordained minister and a member of Jesus Saves Ministries.

Survivors include his wife, Frieda Horton of Coleman; three children, Gene Horton and wife, Shelly, of Selmer, Tennessee, D’Ray Horton and wife, Mandy, of Selmer, Tennessee, Dallas Horton, of Stephenville; four brothers and sisters, Harriet Rackley and husband, Gene, of Quinlan, Marvin Morrow and wife, Vernell, of Cypress Inn, Tennessee, Emma Henderson and husband, Doug, of Middleton, Tennessee, Wilton Brown and husband, Delbert, of Florence, Alabama. Willie is also survived by six grandchildren, D’Nae Moore and husband, Nick, of Round Rock, Shalon Heidenheimer of Abilene, Levi Creel of Kansas, Houston Horton of Henderson, Tennessee, Eli Horton of Selmer, Tennessee, Clay Robert McCullar of Selmer, Tennessee; two great grandchildren, Marissa Moore and Trent Moore, both of Round Rock; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Richard and Sherry Cook of Coleman and several nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, Willie was preceded in death by two brothers, Toby Spears, Fred Morrow; one daughter, Tammy Heidenheimer and a granddaughter, Mattie Belle Horton.

Memorials in memory of Willie may be made to the Jesus Saves Ministries c/o Rev. James Posey, 311 Commercial Avenue, Apt. #75, Coleman, Texas 76834.

Condolences for the family may be left online at www.livingmemorials.com.