Billy Wayne Spears, 68, a resident of Thomas, died Saturday afternoon, March 10, 2018.

He was retired as a supervisor with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development after 36 years of service. Billy always enjoyed going to work and loved joking with his co-workers and friends.

He was a longtime member of Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church, who also enjoyed gardening. He always made a successful garden and liked to give away his vegetables to friends and family each year. Billy was also a member of the Great Southern Beagle Club and Bogue Chitto Coon Hunters Association. He was an excellent cook and liked to serve his famous jambalaya and red beans and rice and all the other good food he prepared to his hunting clubs and others. He was also very good at meat and deer processing and even had a smokehouse behind his home.

Billy enjoyed fishing and being in the outdoors, and also enjoyed bargain shopping. He was always looking out for a good price on the food he liked to prepare and often shared that news with his family. Billy was a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother.

He is survived by: wife of 43 years, Venie Lee Lilly Spears of Thomas; son, Heath Spears of Franklinton; four daughters and sons-in-law, Lynn and Jeffery Creel of Franklinton, Heather Spears Looper and Earl Looper of Stuttgart, Ark., Hope Spears and Hannah Spears, both of Thomas; eight grandchildren and a spouse, Brandon Creel, Jeffery Creel, Samantha and Bruce Calamari, Ali Looper, Adi Looper, Tucker Looper, Adele Spears and Bentley Spears; four great-grandchildren, Thomas Creel, Elijah Creel, Audrey Creel and Dalton Creel; sister and brother-in-law, Georgia and Don Cantrell of Robert; mother-in-law, Lavenia Duncan Lilly of Mt. Hermon; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Linda Spears and Margaret Spears, both of Thomas, Marilyn and Wayne Taylor of Franklinton, and Darlene and the Rev. Raymond Garcia of Mt. Hermon; brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law, Jon Hebert of Denham Springs, and Bobby and Sonya Lilly of Branson, Mo.; and also numerous nieces, nephews, other family members and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ander Spears and Martha Dean Spears; brothers and sisters-in-law, Herbert and Nola Spears, Howard Spears, H.W. Spears, E.T. and Joanna Spears, Harvey and Marie Spears, and Bobby Ray Spears Sr.; sister and brother-in-law, Nell and Charlie Bounds; sister, Brenda Hebert; father-in-law, Bill Lilly; and brother-in-law, William Roy Lilly.

Visitation was at Faith Tabernacle Church on Monday, March 12, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. and after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 13. A funeral service was held in the church at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, with the Rev. Jerry Cox and the Rev. Guy Looper officiating. Burial followed in the Thomas Cemetery.

Pallbearers included Charles Bounds, Byron Graham, Mitchell Bryant, Bobby Spears, Jr., Josh Spears, Ritchie Ballam, Nub Roberts and Raymond Garcia.

Honorary pallbearers were Huey Thompson, Henry Tate, Johnny Graham, Bruce Ladner, Richard McElveen, Jewell Holmes, Roy McCain and Travis Thomas.

Obituaries can be viewed online at www.crainfh.com.