Billy Lloyd Hines, age 87, of Brownwood, Texas, ran into the arms of Jesus on May 8, 2024, at 12:58pm. He was the first child born to Raburn and Ruby Hines on their ranch near Miami, Texas, on November 9, 1936.

Bill graduated high school in Canadian and was recruited to play football for numerous universities from So. Cal to the East Coast. When in California visiting a university, he and Betty spent time walking on the beach. They came across a man in a swimsuit who they immensely enjoyed visiting with before realizing they were talking to John Wayne, whom Bill said was such a friendly person. Bill ended up choosing to play football at Oklahoma University under the leadership of the nationally-known Coach Bud Wilkinson. He said he chose OU because, being a small-town boy, he wanted to stay closer to home.

Bill and his high school sweetheart, Betty Schaef, eloped because of the fear of possibly losing his scholarship should OU find out about his marriage. Parents were very unhappy, but they did end up making their marriage publicly known after he was reassured he could keep his scholarship to OU. Their union was blessed with three sons, Billie Wayne, Lonnie, and Scott. At a later date, Bill attended Sul Ross to obtain his Masters in Education.

Bill became a Christian at the age of 19 and was instrumental in leading his father to Christ. They were baptized together.
He was a caring man that people immediately admired and trusted.
He spent many years in education as first, a coach, then principal, and finally retiring as school superintendent at Vilas, CO, in 2007, where he also pioneered the first online school in the state because of his passion for children. More importantly, he started the school saying the Lord’s Prayer (student led) every morning after saying the pledge… and to this day, they Still do this.

He led a colorful and adventurous life, eventually leaving his coaching position in Texas and moving his young family to Walla Walla, then later Toppinish, WA while spending a few years in the banking business and teaching accounting at the Walla Walla State Prison.
He played the electric guitar and would sing different songs to his boys, a favorite of his being “Church in the Wildwood’.
While in Washington State they owned a vineyard and sold their concord grapes to the Welch’s Company.
Also during that time, they lived near the Yakima Indian Reservation where they befriended, and Betty cooked for, the Yakima Chief and his family during an illness. Bill and Betty were so highly favored by them that they were later invited to enter the Chief’s home, being the first white people to ever do this.
He brought the family back to Miami, Texas, 7 years later when his father had a stroke so they could run the family ranch. He also started up an oilfield company, Hines 57, a fiberglass business, and several other businesses. He later moved his fiberglass business from Texas to Oklahoma during the oil boom.
Bill re-entered the coaching profession in 1990, at the request of school board members who had been former players under Bill.

He had obtained his pilot’s license & flew his plane to different locations to pump wells. This was his passion – flying his Cessna Skylane or his Cessna 152. He said he could fly a plane upside-down and backwards just to prove he could, but he also said the quickest way to lose friends was to do stunts in the plane while they were onboard.

Bill is survived by his three sons, Billy Wayne and wife Cathy of Elkhart KS, Lonnie and wife Laura of Brownwood TX, Scott and wife Sherrie of Elk City OK, 9 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, nieces Kathy Liedtke (Doug), and Charisse Topper, and nephew Garrett Helton, along with extended family and the staff from Lake Hills Healthcare Center, whom he cared for very much.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 56 years Betty, his sister Dixie Hines Smith, and a nephew Steve Helton.

A come-and-go Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 10th from 10 am- 12:00 Noon at Blaylock Funeral Home of Brownwood.
A graveside service will be held in Miami, Texas, on May 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. 

Arrangements are under Blaylock Funeral Home of Brownwood.