Billie Jean Martin

Billie Jean Kilgore was born on September 13, 1932, in Plainview, Texas, to William and Jewell Kilgore. As a young girl she moved to Carlsbad and worked in her parent's laundry. She graduated from Carlsbad High in 1950. She married James Alfred Travis in 1952 and they had two children, Sandi and Ronnie. In 1958 James tragically lost his life in an auto accident. Two years later she married Bill Martin. Bill adopted Billie's two children and then and the couple had two children of their own, Brad and Bruce.

Billie worked as a bookkeeper and in personnel management at the Citizen's Bank and Presbyterian Health Services. She was active for several years as a Deacon and member of the Homesteader's in the Aztec Presbyterian Church. She was well known in the community for her quilts, knitted socks, and seamstress work. Her family and her Bernina sewing machine will miss her greatly.

She died from complications of pneumonia on May 3, 2022, in Farmington, New Mexico, at the age of 89.

She leaves behind one sister, Carlene Bailey (Pagosa Springs, CO), 5 children, Holly Pendleton (Plano, TX), Pamela Percel (Allen, TX), Sandi Piper (Aztec), Brad (Aztec), and Bruce (Lewis, CO). She also has 10 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. One son, Ronnie, one brother, Kyle, and her husband of 60 years, Bill, preceded her in death.

Visitation will be at the Aztec Presbyterian Church at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 14 followed at 10:00 a.m. by a funeral service at the same location. Interment will follow services at the Aztec Cemetery. A luncheon will then be served at the church fellowship hall at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Epilepsy Foundation.