Billy Haney

Billy J. Haney
May 11, 1934 – March 29, 2023

Billy Jackson Haney, age 88, of Waco, passed away on March 29, 2023. There will be no funeral services or viewing. Bill very much preferred to remember those he loved who had passed away how they were when they were alive and healthy. He wants his family and friends to think of those same sorts of good memories of him.

Bill was born May 11, 1934 in Waco at Hillcrest Hospital to his parents Louis Edmond Haney and Winnie Lorene Powell. He graduated from Waco High and soon entered the printing trade, first at Barnett Printing on Franklin Avenue, later at Printing Service of Waco and lastly retiring from Davis Brothers Publishing in 1997

The day of his 19th birthday, May 11, 1953, Bill was working at Barnett’s Printing when the tornado ravaged downtown Waco. He was unharmed and helped rescue teams dig survivors and victims out of the rubble. His family thought he had perished, until that evening a city bus took him home. His only sibling, Ann Haney, was also born the day of the tornado.

The pastime Bill was most passionate about was cars. He not only loved to attend drag races, he built his own hot rods and raced at little River and the Texas World Speedway. A long standing member of the National Hot Rod Association, he forged many of his most important friendships by way of the sport of drag racing.

In October of 1954, Bill married Lela Faye Jones, originally of Corpus Christie, Texas. She passed away in 1977 and he never remarried.

Survivors include his only child, Billy Rex Haney; and his sister, Ann Haney Curtis.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to whatever charities you feel will help children or animals.

You may send a message to the family or share a memory at www.oakcrestwaco.com