Billy "Big Hoot" Gibson

Billy Ray “Big Hoot” Gibson, of Groesbeck, passed away Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at his residence, at age 60. Visitation will be Thursday, May 12, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Friday, May 13, 2011, at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Greg Sackett officiating. Burial will follow at Lost Prairie Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Frank Crowson, Ronnie Foley, Charles Lewis, Buster Hagen, Travis Crowson, Brandon Ferguson, Kenneth Copeland, and Richie Gonzales. Billy Ray was born December 13, 1950, to Edwin Ray “Speedy” Gibson and Anita Willine Taylor Gibson at Mexia. He grew up in Mexia and graduated Mexia High School in the class of 1969. He attended Sam Houston State University two years, and was always a cowboy. He managed the Auction Barn at Buffalo for a time and worked at sale barns everywhere around locally. He went to work for Big Brown in Fairfield and later changed to work at Northwestern Coal Mine at Jewett as a lead operator, working for the past 34 years in the coal industry. He also raised cattle and raised horses for his kids to ride and rodeo. He raised his three kids on a horse, rodeoing and cowboying. “Big Hoot” as he was known to everyone, was loved by all who knew him, and even his kids’ friends would go to him when they had a problem. He always had an answer and tried to help everyone. Billy Ray was preceded in death by his father, Edwin Ray Gibson, and a daughter, Jennifer Ann Gibson. He is survived by a son, Charles Gibson of Groesbeck; daughter Barbara Gibson and new son-in-law, Brandon Ferguson of Groesbeck; son, Matt Lee of Groesbeck; his mother, Willine Gibson of Mexia; sister, Connie Armstrong and husband Rodney of Mexia; sister, Karen Gibson of Mexia; brother, Terry Gibson and wife Janie of Groesbeck; and many nieces and nephew.