Billy McPherson

Billy Lee McPherson, 71, of Helena, AL, passed away on March 22, 2023 from lymphoma. He was predeceased by his parents Billy and Christine McPherson, and his brother Wayne McPherson. Billy is survived by his wife Karen McPherson, son and daughter-in-law Michael and Meredith McPherson, daughter Brandi McPherson, and his beloved dog Vader. A funeral in Billy's honor will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 27 at Currie Jefferson Funeral Home in Hoover. In lieu of flowers, a charitable contribution in Billy's memory can be made to the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Billy is known for his kind and considerate demeanor, the ease with which he could make others laugh, and his ever-present mustache. We only know of one occasion when he shaved it, and his family emphatically told him, "Never again!" He was always willing to help in any way he could and showed compassion to all he encountered. His sense of humor brought joy to all of those around him.

Always a tinkerer, Billy could work on anything mechanical whether it was a car, a boat, or a hair dryer. His ability to improvise with whatever tools and parts were on hand led to him amassing a huge collection of parts and pieces just in case they had some use at a future date. He passed his interests to his children, instilling a love for science fiction, outer space, technology, and new gadgets. Inspired by their father, his children ended up becoming an aerospace engineer and a car enthusiast.

During his career, Billy followed in the footsteps of his father. For 35 years, he worked for the telephone company. He was there to witness the first computers being installed that "took up an entire room." He was there through many advances that occurred at a rapid pace and he enjoyed working with those emerging technologies. Many of his life-long friendships were forged during his time there. He was known for his work ethic, problem solving capability, and fairness. It was also during this time that he met his loving wife Karen, to whom he was married for 34 years.

You may not know that Billy had perfect pitch and was a talented musician. He could pick up any instrument and play it skillfully. His musical ability was inherited from his mother who used to play the pipe organ at the Alabama Theater and taught lessons for many years. Her love of music inspired him to excel at many instruments, but the trumpet was his specialty. As a child he wowed audiences by performing Sugar Blues with a prowess that impressed even Clyde McCoy himself. Even in his later years, he would occasionally bring out the trumpet to play on request, or for a church event. This love of music was also passed on to both of his children.

Billy was a kind man that touched so many lives. He was a loving husband and father. He will be missed by many.