Private services by invitation only will be held for Billy Machen, 77, of Portales.
Billy Wayne Machen was born Feb. 13, 1944 at home on the mesa west of Portales to the home of Rosa Stella (White) and Mell Hall Machen and died Jan. 27, 2022 in Lubbock, TX. Most of his younger years were spent in Roosevelt and Curry counties. In 1963, he was married to Esther Faye Haney in Fort Sumner. For several years they made their home in Muleshoe where he farmed on the family farm. Later he went to Phoenix, AZ to receive training to become a Ford mechanic. For the next several years he worked for the Ford dealership in Muleshoe. Mr Machen was a self taught electronic technician, which enabled him to work as branch manager for Audio Video Corporation in Lubbock, installing and repairing PA systems and sound systems in hospitals, churches, and schools among other locations. After several years he became tired of working for others, and retired to work for himself doing CB radio repairs and working on other electronics. He liked to work on virtually anything electronic.His wife Esther, preceded him in death in 2012, and on May 23, 2015 he was married to Beatrice Moore. Mr. Machen was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Beatrice of their home; three sons, and two daughters-in-law, Billy W. and Patricia Machen of Amarillo, Timothy W. Machen of Roswell, NM and Harold R. and Kim Machen of Longview, TX; two daughters and a son-in-law, Teresa F. Machen of Kilgore, TX and Christy and Gordon Smith of Abilene, TX; 13 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren; and a sister, Jimmie Lee Garrison of Clovis, NM. In addition to his wife, Esther, he was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Melroy and Jack and two half-sisters, Lena and Mildred and by a grandchild.
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