Billie Bacon

Billie Deane Reed Bacon, 86, of Hixson, took up residence in her heavenly home on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. The service will be held at North Chapel- Chattanooga Funeral Home on Saturday, Aug. 18, at 3 p.m., immediately following visitation from 1 to 3 p.m. Interment will be at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga on Monday, Aug. 20. Billie Deane Reed was born Oct. 20, 1931, in Manchester, Tenn. She graduated from Central High School in 1949, where she played the clarinet in the band and played on the girl’s basketball team. Billie attended Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn., where she also played on the girl’s basketball team. She later earned her B.S. degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, where she played clarinet in the band, was a member of the chorus, and was elected Most Versatile Girl her senior year. Ms. Bacon began her career as Assistant Home Demonstration Agent in Bradley County. During her 20 years as an educator, she taught second grade through high school. Subjects included shorthand, typing, bookkeeping, science and home economics, among others. She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma in various chapters, depending on where her husband was assigned as an itinerant Methodist minister. During their 43 years in ministry, they served appointments in the Johnson City, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Morristown, Abingdon and Cleveland Districts. She was the oldest of four daughters born to the late Ernest Lee and Gladys Evans Reed of Manchester. She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 59 years, John Y. Bacon; her son, Gerald Bacon, of Murfreesboro; three sisters, Mildred Mayton and Camille Holt, of Manchester, and Mary Honeycutt, of Connecticut. Billie’s fourth great-aunt was Rebecca Boone, wife of pioneer Daniel Boone. While her husband John was a student in Candler School of Theology at Emory University, he also served an appointment of three small churches in the Cleveland District. It was while he was spending weekends in Cleveland that he met Billie. He had taken a group of young people from his churches to attend a youth rally at Broad Street United Methodist Church. Billie was directing the recreation that evening. They began a courtship, which culminated in their marriage at First United Methodist Church of Cleveland on Dec. 30, 1956. Born to their union were two sons and two daughters. All four of their children graduated from UT Knoxville. Surviving Ms. Bacon are son, Mike Bacon (Thong), of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; daughters, Suzanne Davis (Paul), of Resaca, Ga., and Angela Gross (Todd), of Hixson, Tenn.; also, two grandchildren, Chloe Bacon and Jared Gross. Billie was a loving wife and mother who enjoyed spending time with family, reading and playing hymns on piano. She was also a member of Hixson United Methodist Church, where she strongly supported missions. For those who wish, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in lieu of flowers to The United Methodist Community of Relief (UMCOR). Make checks payable to UMCOR and mail to Advance GCFA, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068 or online at www.UMCOR.org/UMCOR/Support. Arrangements are under the care of the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com