SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Family and friends said goodbye to a well-loved and respected Springdale man.
Mr. Billie touched so many lives through his work as a Walmart and Sam's Club greeter.
Billie Adkins, better known as “Mr. Billie,” served his community for nearly 30 years.
He was laid to rest at the Fayetteville National Cemetery after passing away peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
“We’re all sad, and we’re going to mourn the loss of such a wonderful man, but I feel at peace knowing that he left this world knowing how loved he was," Janna Pittman, Adkins' granddaughter, said.
Family and friends said their goodbyes at First Assembly of God church to a great man known for his kindness towards everyone who walked through the door.
“We loved Billie so much, and we’re going to miss him. My granddaughter grew up with his stickers, and it’s just so emotional for me," said Ebby Vera, a co-worker of Adkins said.
Mr. Billie loved people. It was hard for him to be away when the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to stay home.
“He loved it, and I don’t think it was so much him being a greeter at those two places, but it was his job, and he loved working, and that was the main thing that drove him," said grandson, Jacob Adkins.
An outpouring of support from the community in the form of messages brought joy to his heart in his final weeks.
“I know it touched his heart. Those big posters, all those letters, he just loved it, and he just loved people," Tiffany Jetton, Adkins' granddaughter, said.
Mr. Billie’s grandchildren say what they’re going to miss most about their grandfather are his smile and warmth.
“When you walk in a room, and he’s there, he just makes you feel like you’re the only person there," Pittman said.
The family says he lived a long and happy life.
“I’m feeling very good honestly because I know that he is with Jesus. I know he’s with God," Jetton said.
We can all learn a lesson from Mr. Billie to be kinder and gentler; it’s a challenge his family hopes to live up to.
Mr. Billie was 89 years old.