Stanley Bilberry March 21, 1933 ~ November 7, 2023 (age 90)

A celebration of life service for Robert “Stanley” Bilberry will be held Friday, November 10, 2023, at 2:00 PM mountain time at Wheeler’s Mortuary. Burial will follow at the Floyd cemetery. In lieu of flowers, if you wish you may make a memorial donation to the Baptist Children’s Home, PO Box 629, Portales, NM 88130.

Robert Stanley Bilberry, age 90, of Portales, New Mexico (recently of Lubbock, Texas), passed away on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Stanley was born on March 21, 1933 in Spur, Texas to Robert Taft Bilberry and Naomi Dement Bilberry. Stanley was the third of nine children.

When he was nine years old, the family moved to Floyd, New Mexico. Stanley was a great athlete, participating in basketball, baseball and track. He even drove a school bus his junior and senior year of high school. He graduated from Floyd High School in 1951. After graduating from high school, he attended New Mexico State University on a basketball scholarship. His mother became very sick and he came home to help the family.

Stanley married his high school sweetheart on November 30, 1952. The following May, he was drafted into the army. He did his basic training in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.  Shortly after, he was sent to England for 18 months. After being honorably discharged from the military, he returned home to meet his firstborn daughter, Vickie Jo, who was 9 ½ month old.

Stanley and Nina Jo farmed on Nina Jo’s family farm at Floyd, raising broomcorn and grain. They went on to have two more children, Mike in 1956 and Sandy in 1957. Their children also attended Floyd High School.

Stanley had many skills. He loved horses and was an extremely talented horseman and enjoyed going to horse sales. He trained and shod many horses. He was also an excellent welder, building many corrals and in his later years, he made miniature brands. After farming, Stanley became a brand inspector. While he was a brand inspector, he attended the Law Enforcement Academy in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1979, he ran for Roosevelt County Sheriff and was sheriff for Roosevelt County four years.  Stanley enjoyed serving people and he especially enjoyed serving as president of the Roosevelt County Fair board for a number of years.

Family was important to Stanley. His favorite times were at family gatherings. He enjoyed cook outs, playing croquet, pitching washers, and having a competitive domino game. He also enjoyed going deer hunting with his family. He had many deer hunting stories to share throughout the years. Once grandchildren were born, he shared his love of horses, games and hunting with them as well.

Not only was Stanley’s family important to him, so was his faith. He shared his Christian values with his children and grandchildren and had such a serving heart. He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Portales, New Mexico.

Stanley is survived by his wife Nina Jo, his children, Vickie (Rodney) Gardner, Mike Bilberry, Sandy (Dwayne) Chenault; grandchildren, Marcus (Jennifer) Gardner, Matt (Laiken) Gardner, Amanda Pinkston, Jena (Andrew) O’Dell, Kinsey (Marc) Lovato, Leah Chenault, and Heather (Matt) White; his great-grandchildren, Riggins, Lainey, Hollynn, and Millie Gardner; Corbyn, Grant, and Kacey Gardner; Shelby and Josey Pinkston; Lavelle Lovato; and Jackson, Hunter, and Aubrey Jo White; his sister Tobie Rollinson, and a brother Bud (Alma Lyle) Bilberry, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Stanley is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Truman, Rodney, Joe and Basil; his sisters Lavell Kent and Natha Roland; and a grandson-in-law Clayburn Pinkston.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Stanley Bilberry, please visit our floral store.