William Boyd Haney Jr.

Billy Haney, age 80, died at his home in Tupelo, MS on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, after a long battle with cancer.

Billy was born in Pontotoc, MS to Annie Miller Ray and W.B. Haney Sr on 7 December 1939. Billy and his brother Burt lived with their parents on Oxford Street during their youth. Billy played the saxophone in the school band and later became the high school drum major. He graduated Pontotoc High School in 1957. He truly enjoyed socializing with all of his high school friends at numerous class reunions.

Billy attended the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS where he received a degree in Business Administration in 1961. Billy was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and played the saxophone at many of the local establishments while attending college. He met his wife, Jo Allen Thompson, at university and they were married in 1960.

Billy and Jo moved to Pontotoc where Billy worked in the family business, Haney Chevrolet. They had two girls, Anna and Becky. While living in Pontotoc, Billy enjoyed hunting and fishing with friends. He spent many holidays and vacations fishing in south Louisiana at the family’s camp on the Belle River. In the early 1970s the family lived in Baton Rouge, LA for a short time where Billy worked for the State of Louisiana.

After the sale of the car business in Pontotoc, Billy went to work at Three Rivers Planning and Development District where he discovered his true calling. This opportunity led Billy to the directorship of the South Delta Planning and Development District in Greenville, MS. Billy enjoyed traveling through out the Mississippi delta area helping businesses through loan and grant programs and overseeing programs that enhanced the lives of the aged and supported the care and development of children. He was a member of the Mississippi Association of Planning and Development Districts where he served as president in 1988. Billy was also a 10 year member of the National Association of Development Organization Revolving Fund Advisory Board (NADORF). He and Jo retired to Greer’s Ferry Lake in Arkansas in 2015.

After Jo’s death, Billy returned to friends and family in the Pontotoc area. He spent the last three years living in Tupelo enjoying time with family and old friends, his two dogs and two cats. Billy was a member of the West Heights Baptist Church in Pontotoc, MS where he cherished his men’s Bible Study group.

He is proceeded in death by his wife, Jo Allen Thompson Haney, his parents, Annie Miller Ray Haney and W. B. Haney Sr, his dog, Beau and his cats, DaVinci and Mari-Lyn.

Billy is survived by his two daughters, Anna Haney Bianchi (husband Dr. Bob Bianchi) of Holiday, FL and Becky Haney Elmore (husband Jimmy Elmore) of Clear Lake, TX and two grandchildren, Will Elmore of Madison, MS and Blair Elmore Buschmann (husband Tanner Buschmann) of Lubbock, TX and his brother, Burt Haney (wife Pat Smith Haney) of Pontotoc, MS and his dog, Ruff.

Due to Covid-19, the memorial service for Billy will be postponed until later in the year. The family will notify friends and family of the future date and location.

For those who would like to honor Billy, please consider making a donation to Ducks Unlimited (www.ducks.org) or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (www.nfwf.org).

Condolences may be offered at www.browningpontotoc.com