Billy Joe Findley

Bill “Bubbles” Findley, 73, Bethany, Mo., passed away Thursday, July 16, 2020.

He was born September 4th 1946 in Saint Joseph, Mo. His parents were Earl and Lola Findley.

Earl was from Bolckow, Mo., and married Lola Coleman in 1931. Earl and Lola would have 6 children, four boys and two girls. Herbert Lee Findley, Leona Fay Findley, Royce Dean Findley, Vernon Findley, Alois (Findley) Johnson and Billie Joe Findley.

Earl and Lola lived west of Bethany about 6 miles, just north of 136 highway. Earl was a farmer as well as picking up odd jobs to survive the depression. As a result of the great depression Earl and Lola moved to Nebraska for a short period of time looking for any work available. After becoming somewhat seriously ill he was forced to come back home to the farm where they raised their family.

Bubbles graduated from Bethany High School in 1964. He worked as a truck driver for a road construction company and was a member of the teamsters union. Next he worked for Armco in Saint Joseph manufacturing wire rope products. He became bored with the mundane work….”even though it paid good.” ….and decided it was time to join the Army.

In 1966 Bubbles enlisted and attended basic combat training at Fort Dix New Jersey. Following basic training he was assigned to an infantry unit at Fort Polk Louisiana. Bubbles would somehow spend the next three years in the army working with civilian contractors welding on water towers. In 1969 Bubbles returned home to finish his enlistment in the US Army reserve.

Upon returning home Bubbles got a job helping construct portions of I-35 near Pattonsburg. Later he took a job as a milk truck driver working for the Bethany Cheese Company. During those days it was not uncommon to see Bubbles driving his milk route with his pet coyote in the passenger seat. Following the dissolution of the cheese company Bill next worked for Martin Marietta rock quarry operating a “hole” dozer and shortly thereafter became employed with the Bethany Township where he worked for the next 40 years.

Bill and his brother Royce “Cheap” Findley formed a farming partnership that lasted unit Cheap’s death in 1989. They raised shorthorn cattle, row crops to include wheat, beans and corn.

Bill married Linda (King) Findley in 1981. Bill inherited three sons Keith, Wesley and Travis Ellis and brought into this world his only child…Jason Lee Findley on March 16, 1982.

Bill enjoyed hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, shooting, re-loading bullets, gun-smithing, welding and building just about anything he put his mind to. In later years he returned to his love of riding Harley Davidson motorcycles and finding ways to “stay busy.” One of his projects included uncovering the Bethany Falls just at the west edge of Bethany. When Bill heard that a University of Missouri Geologist proclaimed his joy of “finding” the falls, Bill commented to the Bethany paper “We didn’t know it was lost….just covered up.” Bubbles led the charge to reclaim the falls and donated his time operating equipment to excavate and uncover the falls to their current condition. Bill was also active in raising money for the Harrison Country Transportation fund and helping out his friends who were down on their luck or had health issues.

After beating cancer……………… 18 years ago, two of Bubbles’ favorite lines were “I don’t buy green banana’s” along with “I don’t plant trees!”

When asked to share some advice based on the life lessons he had learned he offered the following:

#1- Stay busy and #2- Don’t chase the dollar.

Bill Findley was preceded in death by his father and mother, Earl and Lola Findley; brothers, Herbert Findley, Vernon Findley, Royce Dean Findley; sister, Leona Findley; son, Jason Findley and grandson, Garrett Ellis.

Bubbles is survived by his sister, Alois Jonson of Gilman City, sons, Keith (Tonia) Ellis of Bethany, Wesley (Angie) Ellis of Blythedale, Travis (Courtney) Ellis of McFall and daughter-in-law Angelina Findley of Bethany; grandchildren, Dustin Ellis, Sarah (Ellis) Newman, Adam Sherrill, Harley Ellis, Shelby (Ellis) Chandler, Sidney (Ellis) Stevenson, Rilee Ellis, Cole Ellis, Brooklyn Ellis, Paytience Markle, Taylor Andrus and Kayla Andrus; great grandchildren, Isabella and Lettie Lee Ellis, Blake Johnson and Ava Newman, Garrett and Jordan Sherrill, Emma, Morgan and Boyd Chandler, Weston and Remington Stevenson, Danica Andrus, Amelia and Henley Richardson and Zerelda Daily, many nieces and nephews and too many friends to count.

   Bubbles has been cremated under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, Mo.

   Memorial services were July 20 at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, Mo. Inurnment with Military Rites in Mt. Zion Cemetery, Bethany, Mo. Memorials may be made to Mt. Zion Cemetery and/or the Harrison County Cancer Transportation Fund in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, Mo. 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com