Billie Craig

Billie Dean (Smith) Craig passed from this earth at Mercy Hospital in Ada, Oklahoma on Wednesday morning, January 29, 2020 at the age of 75.

She fought a brief, but aggressive cancer in the way she led her whole life. With grace, class and unyielding stubbornness and grit.

Billie was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma on September 16, 1944 to Alcidean Choate and Bonds Allen Smith.

Her grandfather, William Dave (Bill) Choate was an original enrollee in the Choctaw tribe.

We wish that her life had not been lost to her illness, that things could have been different for her and for us. While we know she is at peace and her struggles are at an end, there is pain and sadness in our hearts.

But even though she is gone, she has left her legacy of love and strength. The way she touched our lives will remain and we ask you keep those memories alive by sharing them with her family and one another.

One of the most important things in her life was her home and her family. She took great pride in keeping it spotless and beautiful.

She loved growing a garden with beautiful flowers. She got satisfaction and peace when she was cleaning, gardening or updating her home.

Later in her life she found a love for raising cattle and a sense of accomplishment in the business of ranching. One of her favorite past-times was sitting on her front porch with her family, drinking her coffee and over-looking her land and cattle.

She was a beautiful woman and rarely went more than a week without a trip to the salon: She looked perfect wherever you saw her.

Billie is survived by her loving husband Joe Craig of the home, her brother; Palmer Smith of Prague, Oklahoma, her children; Shelly Cascavilla of Seminole, Oklahoma and Seth Ramsey of Bethel Acres, Oklahoma, her five grandchildren; Brandon Ramsey of Arlington, Texas, Heath Keeney of Arlington, Texas, Terran Conley of Bentonville, Arkansas, Russel Ramsey of Macomb, Oklahoma and Kyle Ramsey of Bethel Acres, Oklahoma, eighteen great-grandchildren and one precious baby on the way and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and family members she held very dear.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bonds Allen Smith and Alcidean (Kubicek) Hayes and her brother, Joe Smith, who was a rodeo cowboy who never settled in one place for very long.

How many people in this world have it better than Billie did? How many never had to face the trouble she faced and yet not lose sight of what is truly important.

Through everything she went through she managed to keep her priorities straight.

What can be more important than loving and showing love for God and family? How can some of us who are blessed with so much forget to be thankful to God? Somehow, she kept her faith through all her trials.

Her life is a wonderful legacy. This is a wonderful example to follow. Keep focused on what is truly important, not only when life is easy, but when it is difficult as well.

Billie’s funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Church of Christ, 401 S. Mekusukey Avenue in Wewoka, Oklahoma with her brother Palmer Smith officiating.

Burial will follow at Little Cemetery.

Casket bearers will be Russel Ramsey, Brandon Ramsey, Kyle Ramsey, Heath Keeney, Joe Craig and Wilbur Johnson.

Arrangements are under the direction of Swearingen Funeral Home in Seminole, Oklahoma.