BILLIE JEAN BRATTON

LAMAR- Services were held at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at Ocker Chapel in Alma, Ark., for Billie Jean Bratton, 83, a Lamar resident, who died Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, at Truman Healthcare. Burial was held at the New Cemetery in Mulberry, Ark. Pallbearers were Tim Ivey, Bill Schmitt, David Braun, Perry Willmon, Roger Vansel, Eric Bowman and Bryan Odum.

Mrs. Bratton was born Oct. 7, 1935, in Mulberry, Ark., to James Roy and Minnie Elizabeth (Livingston) Willmon.

She had worked in many nursing facilities in Arkansas and after moving to Lamar in 1978 had worked at Chastain’s for a number of years, then ran a babysitting service. A lot of children had called her “Mamo” over the years. She had resided in Lamar since moving here.

She loved to quilt and can, but her favorite pastime was fishing.

Survivors include her husband of 63 years, Robert Bratton, of the home; a sister, Darlene Bratton, Mulberry, Ark.; two brothers, James Willmon, Mulberry, Ark. and Jerry Willmon, Brooksville, Fla.; three daughters, Debbie Ivey and husband Tim, Lamar, Brenda Schmitt and husband Bill, Golden City and Glenda Braun and husband David, Joplin; three granddaughters, LaDonna Rose, Christy Vansel and Laura Odum; 11 great-grandchildren, Jacob and Robert Kirbey, Elizabeth, Timothy, Sarah, Jedadiah, Ruth and Hannah Vansel, Cassandra, Hailey and Austin Hartzler and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Larry Blaylock and a great-grandson, Isiah Hartzler.

Robert and Billie were married March 21, 1955, in Van Buren, Ark.

Donations can be made in her honor to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.