Needham

Billy Keith Needham, 73, of Cameron died Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at Baylor, Scott & White in Temple.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 19, at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale. Burial will be in Salty Cemetery near Rockdale.

Mr. Needham was born Jan. 22, 1948, to Homer Lee and Alma Neomi (Harper) Needham in Cameron.

He attended Yoe High School.

On Aug. 26, 1965, he married Barbara Sue Jackson at First Baptist Church in Cameron.

Mr. Needham served 26 years in the U.S. Army. During his service, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars. He was in an artillery unit and was an airborne paratrooper.

After retiring from the Army, he worked at the Post Office for 16 years and as a jailer for the Sheriff’s Office.

Mr. Needham enjoyed building things and was a perfectionist to a fault. He enjoyed history and watching the news.

He was preceded in death by his father, Homer Lee Needham; his mother, Alma Neomi Terry; and his parents-in-law, Monora and Ib Jackson.

Survivors are his wife, Barbara Needham of Cameron; three daughters, Barbara Michelle Beard of Alabama, Keitha Constance Thompson and husband Daniel of Seattle, Washington, Stephanie Lynn Lara and husband Albert of Cameron; an aunt, Mary Jen Harper of Belton; and his furbabies, Mindy Wendy, Lucy and Tommy; also, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers are Demetri Lara, Andrew Walsh, Daniel Thompson and Keith Beard.