  Mary Hellen Dozier 9 November 1929 - 23 June 2006 Billy Dozier 10 October 1929 - 19 April 2014 wed 28 September 1950  DENISON - Billy Fay Dozier, age 84, entered into eternal life Saturday, April 19, 2014 at The Terrace of Denison. Mr. Dozier was born October 10, 1929 in Bailey, Texas the son of Clifton and Cletha (Bradshaw) Dozier. He started the playing mandolin when he was 6 years old. He picked cotton and got his first guitar for $3.00. At the age of 8, his father taught him to play the fiddle. His family moved to Denison, Texas when he was 14. He started playing school shows then moved to Kilgore, Texas in 1957, then began and played local clubs and shows with Jim Reeves. He moved to Lawton, Okla. and joined Tommy Alsup and "The Southernaires" and stayed with him until 1950. Billy then moved to Bonham, Texas where he met his wife, Mary Helen McGee and married in 1950. In 1951 he went to the service and was stationed in Augusta, Ga. along with Billy Bowman, Don Davis and Frankie Horner. They put a band together and played USO shows and worked at the VFW for two years. Later he joined Leon McAuliffe in 1954; they worked together for 12 years. During that time he had the privilege of playing back up for Patsy Cline, Tex Ritter, Eddie Arnold and many others. He quit the band in 1965, wanting to be home with his family and fulfill his desire to be a father.In 1995, he retired from Crane Carrier Company and moved back to Denison, where he still played on weekends with local bands. He was inducted into the Western Swing Music Hall of Fame in Sacramento, Calif. in 1990, Heroes of Western Music in 2001 and Texas Western Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Billy leaves behind his beloved daughter, Kim Dozier of Irving, Texas, brother, James Dozier of Sawyer, OK and cousins, Gene Dozier and Bootsy McGue. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at Hebron Baptist Church with Pastor Houston Garner officiating. Interment will follow in Hebron Cemetery in Bells. There is no set time for family visitation. Arrangements are under the direction of Fisher Funeral Home in Denison.  Hebron Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |