Billy F Huston

Udall – Huston, Billy Floyd, 80 went to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 4, 2021 at his home. He was born September 18, 1940 to Floyd and Mary Huston in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Billy worked as a structural engineer/designer in Hutchinson and Wichita for 39 years, retiring in 2006. Billy served on the Haven, KS, volunteer fire Department from, 1964-1973. He was a member of the Udall City Council from 1975-1979. He served as deacon and church treasurer for 30 years at First Baptist Church and Countryview Baptist Church, both in Udall, KS. Billy was licensed to preach the gospel in 1978 by Derby Baptist Temple, which led to the co-founding of Udall Countryview Baptist Church in 1989.

Billy was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Mary Huston; brothers, Don R. Huston and Earl L. Huston.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dorothy of the home; sons, Ron (Clea) of Boulder, CO, Jay (Christie) of Udall, KS, and Tim (Dorshae) of Denver, CO; 11 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren; brother, Jerry (Shirley) Huston; sister, Mary Frances (Jim) Fredericks; mother-in-law, June Delight Coleman.

Visitation: Thursday, April 8, 2021, from 1:00pm to 8:00pm at Smith Mortuary – Mulvane 501 SE Louis Blvd. Mulvane, KS 67110. Funeral Service: 11:00am. Friday, April 9, 2021 at Countryview Baptist Church – Udall, KS 67146. Interment to follow at Red Bed Cemetery. Pastor Nathan Jellings will conduct both services.

Memorial contributions may be made to Countryview Baptist Church, 3795 52nd Rd., Udall, KS 67146

Billy F Huston Career, church and hobbies

At age 6, Billy was put on a tractor and told to plow in a straight line. At age 10, he drove a wheat truck; he had to stand up to shift gears and hit brakes. He helped with farm work continued to age 17.

At age 18, he became part owner of a dairy; milking, processing, bottling, and delivery. The delivery to homes in Haven was special: kids were waiting at the door for him to talk in his Donald Duck voice as he dropped of the milk.

At age 21, he went to Emporia State for his freshmen year of college, or was it a visit to see Dorothy? Regardless, he married Dorothy in ’62 at the age of 21. At the end of his first year of college, he and Dorothy moved back to Haven, KS, where he continued in dairy work at Stephens dairy in Hutchinson while attending junior college.

At age 23, he shifted gears to co-managing at the Haven co-op gas station, with brother Earl. Earl made $50/mo more than Billy because the Co-op required one of the brothers to be the manager.

Another opportunity presented itself at age 27, when he began his Structural Engineering career; Billy was asked by Max Coleman, his Uncle, to learn Structural Engineering. Billy was a quick study and soon was a key part of the structural engineering business at Hartwell Engineering and MKEC Wichita where he continued to excel until he retired in 2006 at age 65.

At age 33 (1973), he moved his family from the safety and comfort of Haven, to unknown lands of Udall Ks. Not all men handle the transition to retirement easily, but not Billy. He had so much non-work interests and activities that he said “how in the world did I ever have any time to work full time” only a few months after retiring. I’m sure that a “Honey Do list” was available if he didn’t keep busy. The family home was heated only with Fire wood cut on the property. So wood cutting and splitting was always on the list of things to do.

Billy church history;

At age 10, Billy was the 1st to be baptized at the Haven Baptist church, founded in 1950, where his parents were charter members. He continued to be a member until he moved his young family in 1973 to Lincoln Baptist church in Wichita (3 years) then Derby Baptist Temple (2 years). He felt called to start a church in Udall, Ks. He was licensed by the state of Kansas and sent by Derby Baptist to preach the gospel. After a full year of hard work, this first endeavor was not successful. The Huston’s joined 1st Baptist church in Udall. In 1989, 8 families joined together to start the Udall Countryview Baptist Church. There were 45 people in attendance at the organizational meeting on May 17, 1989, and the church grew to a peak around 110. There are still 3 founding charter families here today; the Nelson’s, the Floyd’s and the Huston’s.

Billy’s hobbies; Billy loved fishing. And, you’ve never really been fishing unless you’ve fished with my Dad. He’s the guy who catches all the fish while everyone around him is trying to figure out what bait he’s using, and trying to cast into the same honey-hole spots. It seems like he always had all the fishing luck in the world. Its about the only time that he was gone from home.

He, with his brother Jerry, used to go to Tenkiller Lake, Oklahoma, every year and they’d come home with 100’s of fish caught, cleaned and ready to cook. The stories Billy and Jerry tell are unbelievable, except they really did bring home ton’s of fish to eat. Supposedly, the fish were so thick that they jumped into the boat. They had their secret fishing spot to fish all night (and clean fish all day).

For several fishing trips every year, he loved to catch striped bass at Ouachita Lake, AR with his 3 sons, and they caught some rather large striped bass. One of which is still mounted in the family living room. It s 30+ pounder and not accurately weighed due to only having a 30lb scale available that bottomed out.

On a King Salmon fishing trip to Alaska with Ron, its just Billy’s luck to be there for the best week the camp owner ever saw. Nearly every cast caught a 25 lb King salmon…if you were Billy. During that week, Billy caught the biggest King salmon of the week (45 lb) and it took him over an hour trudging down the river to land that hog of a fish. He immediately headed to his tent for a nice nap. At the end of this trip, it’s the 1st time I’ve ever heard him say, “that’s enough, I can’t fish anymore”. Then he got onto the pontoon aircraft, and took off.

Billy loved wood working projects, and he was very creative. His projects included desks, tables, chairs, and an entire houseful of items that he built over several decades. He leaves behind a well-equiped wood working shop.

When it comes to sports, he was an ‘80’s Cowboy fan turned Chiefs fan. The TV got a tune up every September in time for football season on TV. He coached little league when his boys were young, and he attended nearly 100% of his boy’s sports (football, basketball, baseball, track). He was one of the loudest parents in the stands.

Grandchildren; (11)

Brittany Huston, Lakewood, Co, Jamie Graham (Wes), Udall, Ks, Mandy Trembly (Kyle), Aurora, Co, Katie Pershing, (Daniel), Aurora, Co, Courtney Cronin (James), Cape Coral, Fl, Shane Huston, Valley Village, Ca, Lucy Huston, Boulder, Co, Whitney Huston, Denver, Co, Timothy Huston, Denver, Co

Step Grandchildren:

Marcus Chorn, Wichita, Ks, Hannah Chorn, Manhattan, Ks

Great grand children (5)

Devon, Hailey, Ellie, Charlie, Juliet