Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Christian, farm wife, nurse, home economics teacher, and foster parent — Burdett resident Billie Mae (Herndon) Thompson, 86, passed away on February 9. Born December 24, 1935, in Halltown, Missouri, she was the daughter of William Howard and Lethia Pearl (Winfree) Herndon.
Billie met her husband John while in nurses training in St. Louis. They married on Valentine’s Day 1959, so it’s fitting that they’re now reunited before their anniversary after 61 years of marriage. Even as a registered nurse, she spent much of her time as a farm wife as most farm wives do — making meals for the crew, driving grain trucks, and tractors.
While raising two kids, she also worked as a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Larned for a few years and led education classes, ultimately inspiring her love of teaching. Billie eventually went on to achieve a bachelor of science from Fort Hays State University. The degree empowered her to teach Home Economics in Hanston while continuing her help on the farm. Once Billie’s two children were grown, she and John looked for new ways to serve together and helped raise foster children for several years.
Billie loved traveling, learning, and sharing her skills with others — spending hours and hours passing along meticulous sewing and baking tips to her granddaughters. She valued family and was proud of her grandchildren’s achievements.
Survivors include: a daughter, Robin (Bill) Niederee of Great Bend; a son, Marshall Thompson of Burdett; sisters, Ellen Reed of Friendship, Tennessee, and Joyce Roerig of Goose Creek, South Carolina; a brother, William Herndon of Mount Vernon, Missouri; two grandsons, Daniel (Heather) Thompson of Hanston and Dillon Thompson of Burdett; three granddaughters, Katlyn (Jonathan) Rosborough of Washington, D.C., Allison Niederee of Los Angeles, Sarah Niederee of Buffalo, New York; four great-grandchildren, Wyatt, Will, and Annabeth Thompson, and James Rosborough.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband John Thompson; and sister Helen Smart of Republic, Missouri.
Pastor Doug Ellison of the Faith Fellowship Church (located 6.5 miles West of Burdett turn North ¼ mile) will preside over the memorial service in Hanston at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 14, 2022. The service will be viewable via Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/beckwithmortuary. Inurnment will follow at Brown’s Grove Cemetery, Burdett.
Visitation will be 1-8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022 at Beckwith Mortuary, Larned.
Memorials may be given to Faith Fellowship Church (Team Kids Ministry and Summer Camp) in care of Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Beckwith Mortuary
P.O. Box 477; 916 Main
Larned, KS 67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 11, 2022
