Joe Antilley

On February 13, 2021, Joe Antilley left his home in Elmdale to move to his heavenly home. Joe, born November 2, 1927, was the last of the Frank and Nalda Antilley children. The Antilley appearance started in 1903 when Thomas Henry and Mattie purchased 160 acres in the Elmdale/Eula area. They raised wheat, cotton, and cattle. They had 8 children: Frank, Henry, Thomas, William, Ray, Maude, Leo and Ralph.

Frank Antilley and Nalda Milner married in 1910. November 1, 1913, they acquired title to 50 acres from T.H. and Mattie. They continued to raise wheat and cattle. They had four children: Milner, Doris Lind, Frank Kay, and Joe.

Joe Antilley and Mozelle Bagby married in 1947. Joe acquired title to the original 50 acres plus 1,350 more acres in November 1957. He continued to raise cattle and wheat.

The Joe Antilley Family was named “2012 Farm Family of the Year”. He was chosen because of his love of the land and life-long dedication to the conservation of our natural resources. That dedication was in his own agricultural operation, but Joe also had put in countless hours for the state by providing leadership to many organizations which form the basis of many of the conservation programs in place today. Joe converted from a farming emphasis to a cow-calf operation. In addition to his own agricultural operations, he served on many agriculture-related boards. Foremost, was his 24 years as a state director of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts representing most of West Texas. Other boards included the Texas Tech Range Research Advisory Board, USDA Research Board at the station in Big Spring and the Texas Forest Service.

Joe and the late Mozelle had 2 children: the late Pam Antilley and Ginger Shahan. Ginger married Don in 1973 – they have three children: Brandon (Wife, Jennifer; children: Kaytlyn and Audrey), Kelli (Husband, Dr. Eric Hill; children: Noah, Gabe, and Leah Claire), and Ryan (Wife, Ashley; children: Ryley, Asher, and Jax).

The family would like to thank Lyndale Memory Care for the love and encouragement they gave my dad for the last 21 months. Also, thank you to Big Country Hospice for their loving care for dad.

Dad, we love you and will miss you. My daughter said it very beautifully: Rest In Peace, PaPa, knowing your memory and legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew you and loved you.

Visitation will be from 6-7:30 p.m. Friday March 5, 2021 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 2021 at the First Baptist Church with C.V. Blake, officiating.  Private family interment will follow in the Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home.