Bill K. Provence

Billy Kohn Provence, 83, of LaPlace, La., formerly of Tuckerman, Ark., entered into Heaven on Saturday, June 7, 2025. He was born February 20, 1942 in Cave City, Ark. to Wesley Earl Provence and Mary Violet Provence. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Annabelle Smith Provence, his parents, his sister Glenna Kay Smart, his brother James Wesley Provence and his niece Elizabeth Laura Smith. Bill is survived by three sons; Van Provence (Katey) of Jonesboro, Ark., Paul Provence (Leslie) of Searcy, Ark., and Rob Provence of LaPlace. He is also survived by one sister, Sandra Provence of Tuckerman, two brothers-in-law, Lindley Smith (Susan) of Jonesboro and J.W. Smart of Tuckerman, and three grandchildren; Loren Provence of New Orleans, and Emily and Will Provence of Searcy. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews Becky Hamilton of Searcy, Jennifer Dilday (Jeff) of Tuckerman, Samantha Anderson (Gray) of Cord, Ark., Jonathan Smith (Anna), Stephen Smith (Rachel), and Caroline Borgstadt (Sam), all of Nashville, Tenn. Bill joined the Tuckerman United Methodist Church in the 1970s and was later a member of the Methodist Church in LaPlace, spending many years keeping the grass mowed at its location on Highway 51. He confirmed his belief in Christ as his Savior to the very end of his life. He graduated from Tuckerman High School, and in 1967 became the first member of his family to earn a college degree when he graduated from Arkansas State University. He went to work at Bayou Steel in LaPlace in 1981 and worked there until his retirement in 2009. An avid gardener, he spent countless hours working in his yard growing fruits and vegetables, citrus trees and flowers. He also was an avid fisherman and took every opportunity to catch fish in south Louisiana, and especially in the White River in Jackson County, Ark., where he loved trolling the waters for bass and crappie. He enjoyed frying his catches for his family and his hushpuppies will never be matched. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 21, 2025 at Millet-Guidry Funeral Home, 2806 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with the service to immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. At his request, his ashes will be scattered in the White River at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. at http://events.stjude.org/inmemoryofbillprovence

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Bill K. Provence

February 20, 1942 - June 7, 2025