Billy Hart

Billy Myers Hart, more commonly known as Bill or just HART, passed away on Friday, January 16, 2026, at his home in Forney. He was born on January 4, 1942 in Borger Texas to Hugh Glen Hart, Sr. and Dorothy Texas Myers Hart.

Even though Bill moved around some in his early years, he was already collecting friends and adventures. He would tell you about being a school crossing monitor and then being offered the position in another state because he had 'experience'.  Multiple homes in Texas and then on to Tampa, Florida and back to Texas. He was finally able to settle and go to only one high school, Hawkins High School in east Texas, where he graduated in 1960. He never forgot his Hawkins roots as he was a helper and then lead organizer of the Hawkins High School yearly reunion for many years. Lifelong friends and memories with that group.

His love of sports started early also. He played football, basketball and ran track in high school. Sports would follow him his entire life. He was always involved in many - fishing, softball, senior softball, golf, bowling, tennis and volleyball. He never skied because he couldn't swim and couldn't figure out how to get a boat on top of a hill to be able to snow ski. He was more active at 50 than most guys are at 30 or 40.

During Bill's college years at the University of Texas in Austin, Uncle Sam decided it was time to come and serve his country. Bill was offered a 22-day cruise to Vietnam in January 1967. Who could turn that down? So many stories he has told throughout the years. Just so happened he was on 22 sets of orders with one guy - Richard Hutton. That relationship has lasted throughout the years. Now Richard will have to keep telling the stories for them both.

Bill was able to complete his degree at UT after returning to the states. That degree would lead him to a position with Western Electric in Mesquite, Texas in 1969. Part of the Bell System at the time, divestiture would create many name changes and product changes, allowing him to work for AT&T and Lucent Technologies along the way. 1996 brought an early retirement. There was some contract work in preparing for the 'big Y2K' changes but once that rolled in, he was gung-ho to be retired.

In 1997 Bill suffered a dissection of his aorta during the third game of the day of a senior softball tournament. The aorta then burst while on a treadmill stress test as doctors tried to figure out what had happened to him to cause the pain he was feeling. It would require a titanium aortic valve, about 6 inches of plastic/clothe material to replace the aorta that had ruptured and a triple bypass (cabbage) to repair the arteries that were destroyed. It would alter his life forever, but he would never give in. For someone who wasn't expected to live, he was able to get 28+ years more out of life. He had to slow down some but was able to still play some senior softball (they could put a runner in for him if he could get on base), continued to golf and fish and took many RV trips over the years.

His grit (and maybe some good genes from his mom's side of the family) allowed him to see his 84th birthday. The last years were tough as medicines to help his heart work better to get more blood flow through the aorta that remained torn on the innermost layer, also caused his kidneys to deteriorate. But was it all worth it? I'd have to say yes and so would he. He got to experience his son's college graduation, marriage, birth of grandchildren, just lots of life.

He was preceded in death by both his parents, half-brother Jeryl Hart and half-brother Harold Pierce.

He will be missed by his wife of 37 years (and partner in crime for 42 years) Debbie Holthouse, son Will Hart and grandkids Liam and Landry of Pea Ridge, Arkansas as well as daughter Julie Salvato and husband Anthony of Shakopee, Minnesota and grandkids Tyler and Baylee. Also surviving is his brother Hugh Hart, Jr. of Washington, DC, sister-in-law Peggy Voss of Sarasota, Florida, brother-in-law Tom Holthouse of Virden, Illinois, plus cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health or The American Legion. 

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