Billie A. R. Dishongh
Billie Ann Roberts Dishongh was born Jan. 25, 1945, to the late Billy and Helen Roberts. She passed away Sept. 6, 2021, after a brief and courageous battle with cancer.
Billie Ann graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1963, and later graduated from the University of Arkansas, where she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Billie Ann entered into many decades of educating students in Springdale, Hot Springs, and Mountain Pine schools. She had a passion for teaching, and enjoyed working with her students. She taught for 33 years.
Billie Ann was also very involved with the First United Methodist Church of Hot Springs. She was active in the Garland County Retired Teacher Association, Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Key Women Educators Delta Chapter of Arkansas and especially the Tri-lakes Reading Council and the Arkansas Reading Association, later the Arkansas Literacy Association, and the International Reading Association, later the Arkansas Literacy Association, and the International Reading Association/international Literacy Association, serving as a state officer and being very active at the local, state and international levels. She is very thankful for the lifelong friends she made through these organizations.
Billie Ann is survived by her loving husband and chief caregiver during this cancer battle, Derek Dishongh; and her two sons, Hunter Roberts (Joyce), of Ravenden Springs, Ark., and William “Tad” Roberts (Kim), of Atlanta, Ga. She is also survived by her sister, Kathy Roberts Gailey (Terry), of Coos Bay, Ore. Billie Ann was a wonderful grandmother to her granddaughters, Makenzie and Sydney.
The family will have a private service due to COVID-19 restrictions and a celebration of life at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the First United Methodist Church of Hot Springs Food Pantry or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Arrangements are under the direction of Gross Funeral Home in Hot Springs with internment in the Columbarium at the First United Methodist Church in Hot Springs.
Online guestbook available at https://www.grossfuneralhome.com.