Billy Lee Heller

Billy Lee Heller, Captain, USN (retired), was born December 17, 1929 in Christopher, IL to John Thomas Heller and Gladys Dudley Heller. He died January 29, 2011 at age 81 in Beaumont, Texas after a brief illness. He married Patricia "Pat" Ruth Evans on March 8, 1953. During their almost 58 years of marriage they traveled the world taking Elder Hostel trips and becoming members of the exclusive Diamond Plus Club for those who have taken more than 40 cruises on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. After graduating from high school in West Virginia he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1950. Billy served as a corpsman until 1960, attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Medical Service Corp. His duty stations included SC, CA, Japan, Viet Nam, AZ, Spain, Washington, D.C., VA and FL; retiring after 36 years of service. He was a "mustang"; a rare serviceman who was both in the USN enlisted and officer corps. While serving he earned a BS in Business from the University of Maryland; and MS in Accounting from The College of Charleston; and an MS in Finance from George Washington University. A dedicated community servant Billy was a 32nd Degree Mason, a Shriner, a 45 gallon Red Cross blood donor and a 20 year Disney Golf Classic volunteer. Billy and Pat are members of the Port Neches, TX, First United Methodist Church. He and Pat moved to Port Neches in 2008 to be near their daughter Lisa just in time for Hurricane Ike. After which, they offered shelter to several neighbor families in their undamaged home built with a whole house generator. Billy became a regular at PNG football games and school events. He proudly wore his purple and white on Friday, but on Saturdays he displayed University of Florida orange and blue and Lamar University red and white. Service will be held Friday, February 4, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Port Neches with Rev. Peter Cammarano officiating under the direction of Levingston Funeral Home Port Neches. Visitation for family and friends will be held Thursday, February 3, 2011 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. also at First United Methodist Church Port Neches. He is survived by: wife Pat Heller, older sister Norma Jean Young and her husband Ruel and was preceded in death by his younger sister Alice Joan Burns. He is survived by children: Billy Lee Heller, Jr., Bradenton, FL; Dorothy Hall, Roanoke, VA; and, Lisa Boudoin, Port Neches, TX. He and Pat have eight grandchildren: Ashley Jones, Tara Deville, Allison Watkins, April Carter, Adam Hall, Garrett Boudoin, Billy Lee Heller III and Mary Cate Heller. He and Pat also have three great-grandchildren: Ethan, Libby and Elliot Jones. Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church Port Neches Scholarship Fund P.O. Box 277 Port Neches, Texas 77651.