Billie Watson Perryman, age 95 of Tyler, Texas died Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Alive Hospice, Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She was a daughter of the late Howard and Oreda Watson. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded by her husband, Thomas Eugene Perryman, a son, Thomas King Perryman and her stepmother, Ruby Watson who raised her after the death of her mother at age three.
Survivors include daughters, Vicki Perryman Petty of Murfreesboro and Marilyn Perryman of Santa Fe, New Mexico; grandsons, Cole Petty and wife Becki of Tyler, Thomas Petty of Murfreesboro, and Jed Perryman and wife Jennifer of Las Vegas; a granddaughter, Heather Daley of Olympia, Washington; great grandson, Douglas Perryman; great granddaughter, Hazel Daley Wright; brothers, Henry T. Watson of Carbondale, Illinois, Howard H. Watson and wife Irma of Frisco, Texas; a sister, Betty Mason and husband Jerry of College Station, Texas; many nieces, nephews, and a host of other loving family and friends.
Billie was born in Centerville, Texas on May 8, 1928, and grew up in Buffalo, Texas where she was voted Watermelon Queen and played volleyball. She attended the University of Texas Business School but left early when she met and married Tom Perryman in 1946. He saw a picture of her and fell in love at first sight. They were married 72 years, first living in Tyler, Texas where Tom attended broadcast school, then moving to Jacksonville, Texas to work at KEBE, and later, Gladewater, Texas at KSIJ. While in Gladewater, all three of their children were born. Billie and Tom shared a close friendship with Elvis as Tom was the first to book him in East Texas back in the early 1950’s. She enjoyed telling the story of making banana pudding for Elvis once when he visited their home. Tom’s career then carried them to Nashville, Tennessee to WSM “The Home of the Grand Ole Opry.” Tom and Billie, along with close friends Jim Reeves and wife Mary Ann purchased KGRI Radio in Henderson, Texas and WMTS Radio, Murfreesboro, TN.
Billie and Tom called Murfreesboro home for thirty-five years while Tom worked and owned radio stations. Tom finished his on-air career in 2017 in Tyler at KKUS “The Ranch”. The Perryman’s had a long and interesting life in the country music and radio industry. Billie helped Tom with his many business ventures, and he credits her as the reason he was a success.
Billie was an avid golfer in Texas and Tennessee until the age of eighty. She played at the Stones River Country Club with the golf association and enjoyed working with the junior golfers. She was also an original member of one of the first women’s bowling leagues in Murfreesboro. In her later years she enjoyed listening to old music, playing bridge, reading, and watching Wheel of Fortune and the Game Show Channel.
Visitation with the Perryman family will be at Woodfin Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, March 13, 2024, from 3:00pm until the time of memorial services beginning at 4:00pm. A family graveside service will be held in Texas at a later date.
For those who wish, memorials in memory of Billie may be made to Murfreesboro’s Linebaugh Public Library; First United Methodist Church, Murfreesboro, TN; Habitat for Humanity of Santa Fe, NM; Shriners Childrens Hospitals, Dallas, TX; Alive Hospice of Murfreesboro, TN; Hospice of East Texas, or The Gladewater Museum, Gladewater, TX.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Woodfin Funeral Chapels and an online guestbook is available for the Perryman family at www.woodfinchapel.com.
