Mary Linn (Tracy) Bills

Mary Linn (Tracy) Bills of Howardwick “finished the race” on January 23, 2021, at her home.

Visitation will be at Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon. The family will receive visitors at the funeral home on Thursday, January 28, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. There will also be open visitation from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the same day. Robertson Funeral Directors is located at 212 Sully St. Clarendon, Texas.

An outdoor memorial service will be held at Vega Memorial Park Cemetery in Vega, Texas, on Friday, January 29, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.
Mary Linn was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on February 20, 1926, to Newt Lymn and Mylie Merle (Bills) Tracy. She grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. and graduated from Polytechnical High School and Texas Wesleyan University. She was a lifetime member of the Church of Christ.

Mary Linn was first and foremost a Christian. She was a natural evangelist and teacher. Her knowledge and understanding of the Bible was astounding. She was a loving mother to her children and “all God’s Children.” She was a talented artist and craftswoman with many skills and interests. She was a lover of all books and literature and reader of many, many books. Mary Linn was a gifted singer, and loved gospel music. It would have been very difficult to find a song that she did not know.

Mary Linn and Carroll “Edwin” Bills Sr. were married on January 29, 1948, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Mary Linn and her husband Edwin lived and preached the Gospel in Clayton, NM; Freer, Texas; Hannibal, Mo.; and Clarksville, Texas, during which time their children were born.

In 1964 they moved the family to Vigo Park, Texas, and began their second career, teaching school nearby at the San Jacinto Schoolhouse.  Mary Linn received her master’s degree in Education in 1970 from West Texas A&M University. She taught all elementary school ages in Vigo Park, and First grade at Amarillo Christian School, and in Vega, Texas.

While living and teaching in Vega, she worked with others to establish a public library, while working to become a certified librarian.
After she retired from teaching in 1990, she and Edwin moved to Howardwick. Mary Linn became the librarian for the public library in Clarendon for several years. She said it was her “dream” job.

For many years Mary Linn taught Bible studies through correspondence courses with World Bible School, and some prison ministries. Many people came to know the Gospel through her devoted teaching.

She was preceded in death by her father in 1949, her mother in 1986, her sister Lennice (Tracy) Yucikas in 1995, and her husband in 2008.

Survivors include: daughter Susan Permenter (Bob) of Amarillo; Susan’s son Andrew Jackson of Oahu,HI; Susan’s daughter Amanda Jackson and grandson Wesley Betzen of Amarillo, TX; son Carroll Edwin Bills, Jr. and wife Cari of New Knoxville, OH; and daughters Melinda Fangio (Steve) of Amarillo, TX, Rebecca Hillman (Richard) of Indianapolis, IN, Ruth Randall (David) of Clarendon, TX; and “the son of her heart” Bill Baum – devoted friend and caregiver, of Lelia Lake, TX.

Her extended family and dear acquaintances encompass the world.

The family extends our special gratitude to the caregivers from Caring Senior Services and Kindred Hospice Care. We thank you for your loving concern and tender care.

In lieu of flowers, Mary Linn requested that donations be made to World Bible School, PO Box 2169, Cedar Park, Texas 78620.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com