Billye Wardlaw Warner

Billye Warner February 3, 1922 - September 18, 2013 Billye Wardlaw Warner passed away Wednesday, September 18, 2013. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, September 23, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Chuck Treadwell officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be 6:00 8:00 p.m., Sunday, September 22, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Billye was born February 3, 1922, in Ballinger, Texas, to Newton Jasper Wardlaw and Willie Maples Wardlaw. The family moved to Del Rio when she was four. She graduated from Del Rio High School and later from Texas State College for Women now Texas Woman's University in 1943 with a degree in journalism. Billye lived a number of years in Tucson, Arizona. Upon the death of her husband, Donald Kenneth Lieberman in 1961, she moved to Fort Worth and was Executive Secretary at the Fort Worth Children's Museum. She married James Madison Warner of Waco in September 1964. He passed away in August of 2009. Billye was very active in the Waco Community. She was a founding director of Waco Cotton Palace, Executive Secretary to the corporate board for 21 years and continued as an advisor until her death. She served 11 years on the Historic Waco Foundation Board, was co-founder of Christmas on the Brazos, a founding director of the Brazos Forum and past president of the Woman's Club. She contributed a number of articles to Heritage and History, the official publication of Historic Waco Foundation. Her honors include Waco Woman of the Year by the Baylor Mortar Board, Pathfinder Award, and an award for Excellence in Community Service by the Daughters of the American Revolution. As a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, she was a member of the Altar Guild, St. Margaret's Guild and St. Paul's Guild. Billye loved to cook and spent a short period of time at LaVarenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, France. Billye is survived by her son, James Madison Warner, Jr., and his wife, Teemus; a granddaughter, Rebecca Atkinson and husband, Derrick, of Fort Worth; a grandson, John Noble Warner and wife, Deborah, of Waco; great-grandson, Asa James Warner of Waco; and great-granddaughters, Emma Grace Atkinson of Fort Worth and Noble Ann Warner of Waco. She is also survived by her sister, Ann Estes of Dallas; her brother, Patrick Newton Wardlaw and wife, Vickie, of Waco; and her sister, Sitta Rowe and husband, Billy of Del Rio; and a number of nieces and nephews and their children. The family would like to thank Uni Murphy and her staff for their loving care and also to Providence Hospice. Memorials may be made to the Angel Fund of St. Paul's Episcopal School or the charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.