Billie Leon Wheat

Billie Leon Wheat, 74, departed this life unexpectedly on November 1st, 2023.

Billie was born to Isaac and Lillian Craig Wheat on July 12th, 1949 in Mobile, AL. He was preceded in death by his parents, paternal grandparents Lemmie and Lucinda Wheat, and maternal grandparents Pinkey and Robert Craig, Sr.

Billie was a graduate of Blount High School in Prichard, AL and Carver State Technical College in Mobile, AL. He worked as a draftsman in New Orleans and for the Gulf Coast Regional Planning Commission in Mobile before joining the Chevron Corporation in Pascagoula, MS where he eventually became the first black foreman. He retired from Chevron in 1999 and worked for 8 more years as an overseas contractor.

Although trained as a draftsman, he was a jack-of-all-trades who loved construction, woodworking, and anything requiring a tool. 

Billie is survived by his wife of 32 years, Meegie Louise Wheat, his brothers Kenneth Labarron Wheat and Karl Maurice Wheat (Lisa); his daughters Candace Wesley (“Greg” Thomas), Larissa Adams, Jervonda Turner (Mark), and Sherika Robbins (Taurus); his grandchildren: Jordan Leon Wheat, Christian Liam Wesley, Landon Otis Adams, Stephen Harrison James, Cameron McClelland Shawver, Khari Agyei Ashanti Rockward (Megan), and Sariah Elon Lele Robbins; numerous cousins and friends.

In keeping with his wishes, funeral services will not be held. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Billie’s memory to his childhood church: Antioch Baptist Church, 350 Chandler St., Prichard, AL 36610 or his current church: St. Julia AME Zion, PO Box 1586 Jacksonville, NC 28541. https://www.stjuliaamezion.org.

Body entrusted to Sanders Funeral Home, 806 E Market St., Smithfield, NC  27577 

www.rlsandersfuneralhome.org