Willie B. Hanks

Graveside services with military honors for Willie ""Bill"" Hanks, 87, of Lufkin will be held Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. in the Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas.

The cemetery is located 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston. From Bush Intercontinental Airport take John F. Kennedy Blvd. south to Beltway 8. Turn right onto Beltway 8 West and exit at Elia. Follow the feeder road west to the third traffic light, and turn left on Veterans Memorial Drive. Proceed to the first traffic light and turn left on T.C. Jester. The cemetery entrance will be on your right.

Mr. Hanks was born June 16, 1923 in Peason, Louisiana to the late Cooper Bronson Hanks and Amelia (Wolsiefer) Hanks, and died Saturday, January 22, 2011 at his residence.

Mr. Hanks graduated from Union Grove High School in Union Grove and joined the U.S. Navy in 1941. He later worked for L.G. Letourneau and the McWilliams Furniture Company in Longview.

Involved in the home furnishings industry since the 1940's, he formed a partnership with Bill and Allen Murphy at the Hanks-Murphy Brothers Furniture Co., Inc. in Kilgore in 1972. Growing steadily in the industry, he opened his own furniture store in Longview. This new store, Bill Hanks Furniture Co., Inc. opened in September 1980 and was described as ""one of the finest furniture stores in the southwest"" by others in the field.

Mr. Hanks was an active member of the Southwest Home Furnishings Association for many years. He served as District Director in District 2 for two years, Chairman of the Awards Committee, Chairman of the Membership Committee, and Vice President of the Executive Committee.

Mr. Hanks served as Chairman of the Retail Merchants Committee of the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce. He was honored as Merchant of the Year by the Kilgore Jaycees in 1973.

In 1977, the Southwest Home Furnishings Association chose Mr. Hanks as the Outstanding Furniture Retailer of the Year, a title he continued to live up to in the following years.

Mr. Hanks was active as a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Kilgore for many years, and served as Sunday School Superintendent, Secretary of Deacons, and Church Treasurer. He was a past patron of the Camellia Chapter 994 Order of the Eastern Star in Kilgore and a member of the Longview Lodge 404 A.F. & A.M. Masons of Texas. He was also a member of the Gregg County Shrine Club in Kilgore, the Shrine Sharon Temple in Tyler and the A&A Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Dallas.

Mr. Hanks led a busy life both civically and personally. One of his hobbies was coin collecting, and he raised registered quarter horses for speed events at horse shows.

Following his retirement from the furniture business, Mr. Hanks and his wife Milli relocated to Gilchrist. They resided there for 20 years, until Hurricane Ike destroyed their beach home.

Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Milli Hanks of Lufkin; daughter, Millicent Ann Barnes of Graham; twin granddaughters and the love of his life, Katey Z. and Kelcy A. Steffen of Arlington; son-in-law, Keith Steffen of Arlington; brother, Louis Hanks and wife Dama Ivy of Vera Beach, Florida; nephews, Bobby Hanks of Austin, Bill Hanks of Buda, Mark Hanks and wife Diana, Robert Hanks, all of Vera Beach, Florida, Jim Harmon and wife Sue of Pueblo, Colorado, Tommy Coward and wife Roberta of Vidor, Jimmy Coward and wife Nancy of Lafayette, Louisiana, Clay Joseph Barrilleaux and wife Ethel of Holder, Louisiana, Bobby Barrilleaux, Jimmy Barrilleaux and wife Bonnie, all of Hammond, Louisiana and Billy Barrilleaux of Beaumont; nieces, Dama Lou Brener of Victoria, BC, Canada, Elizabeth Kelly of Lufkin, Donna Palick of Beaumont, Dell Lynn Willis and husband of Lumberton, Dee Ann Young and husband Charles of Beaumont, Lucy Daily of Houston and Cathy Short of Illinois; dear, dear friends, Tommie Johnson of Pearland, Sandra Stevenson of Houston and Edris McBride of Groves; and several cousins and great-nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Hanks was preceded in death by his brother and sister-in-law, B.C. and Elna Hanks.

Pallbearers will be Bobby Hanks, Bill Hanks, Tommy Coward, Michael Brown, David Fuller and Keith Steffen.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice in the Pines, 116 South Raguet Street, Lufkin, Texas 75904.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.