Billy Wayne Hinton
August 12, 1958- March 13, 2024

One of Billy's famous sayings was to "monitor and adjust" which he heard at one of those required teacher trainings at Bay Springs High School. What "the powers that be" don't understand is God makes great teachers, not endless training sessions. And Mr. Hinton sometimes affectionately called "Big Daddy" by his students was one of God's BEST teachers. Billy was a graduate of Bay Springs High School and received his BA in social studies and Masters of Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. He loved all the children God sent his way in his thirty-seven years as a social studies teacher at Heidelberg Academy and then Bay Springs High School. Mr. Hinton was chosen as Star Teacher multiple times by senior students and they even named the football field press box the "Billy W. Hinton Press Box" to honor him for his years of service announcing for the Bay Springs High School football team.

Bay Springs High School was also the place where fellow teacher Louise Bush played matchmaker and introduced Billy to the love of his life and best friend, Leah Lipsey. Billy didn't kneel down to propose to Leah because he said he had been on his knees picking peas for years to save up enough money to buy her engagement ring. They were soon married and had two children Coates and Lydia June. Billy was a great cook and liked to collect recipes. He made supper for his family every night for years. Billy raised his children on the same little farm where his parents JL Hinton and Lydia Ione Smith Hinton raised their four children—Sue, Jimmy, Billy, and Bobby. Billy taught Coates and Lydia how to garden, build fence, and take care of cows, pigs, chickens, and cats. Their favorite chore with their daddy was to burn a brush pile. With his brothers Jimmy and Bobby, Billy helped all their children raise cows and pigs to show in 4-H. Much of Billy's free time in the evenings and on Saturdays was spent taking Coates and Lydia to soccer practices and soccer games. And being the dedicated husband he was, he helped Leah clean her classrooms in the summer. But Billy's greatest achievement as a father was to help lead both of his children to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Many of you know Billy best as a dedicated Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, and Song Leader at his home church Salem Baptist Church and later at First Baptist Church Bay Springs. Then, Billy felt the call to help grow new mission churches Journey Church and Hope Baptist Church in Jones County.

Billy went to live in heaven on March 13, 2024, at the age of sixty-five due to early-onset Alzheimer's disease. God's unexpected blessing at the end was to allow Billy the ability to look at Leah and say, "Love You".

Billy is preceded in death by his father JL, mother Ione, and father-in-law William T. Lipsey. Along with his wife Leah and two children Coates and Lydia June, he leaves behind his mother-in-law Lady June Lipsey; one sister Sue Hinton Moore; two brothers Jimmy and Bobby Hinton; brothers and sisters-in-law Ted Moore, Betty Lynn Hinton, Debbie Hinton, Liz Hinton, Kerry and Nan Lipsey Jones, Jimmy and Elise Lipsey Callaway, and Bill and Dana Burrell Lipsey; nieces and nephews Lacey Moore, Kristen Hinton, Leigh Anne Hinton Moore, Cody and Sarah Beth Hinton Tyner, James Patrick Hinton, Lillian Jones, Joseph Callaway, Micah and Elizabeth Callaway Williams, Wyatt Lipsey, Hank and Avery Lipsey, and Eli Lipsey; and great nieces and nephews Elli Grace Moore, Cooper and Cash Hinton, and Charlotte Williams. Oh, and his cats-Patsy and Tigger whom he dearly loved.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Billy Wayne Hinton Scholarship Fund at Jones
College Foundation by scanning the QR code below. To make a contribution to this fund please contact Jones College Foundation at 601-477-1239 or 601-477-2308 . This scholarship will help Bay Springs High School students who pursue an education related degree.