Billy James Hocking Mt. McCaleb Cemetery Mackay, Idaho

Billy James Hocking was born April 5, 1926, in Compton, Calif., to Ernest Hocking and Clara Hanni.

Billy attended elementary and high school in Moore and Mackay. He entered the military July 5, 1944, and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, 20th Air Force and 19th Bomb Squadron, on a B-29. After returning from military service, he married Barbara Bell. They later divorced.
He married his friend of many years, Sakae Holloway, in 1987. Billy admired and respected Sakae's two sons, Gene and Stanley. Billy and Sakae lived and worked together in Blackfoot.
Billy was an auto and diesel mechanic or truck driver most of his life. He was a mechanical genius with speed and power driving his creativity. There wasn't a single motor that he couldn't fix and make faster and more powerful than originally planned by the factory engineers.
Dad was a man of few words. He was quiet and soft spoken but stern. He spent his life working and teaching those around him the greatest examples of true integrity, honesty, and humility. He taught his children and grandchildren what an honest day's work looked like and to always respect and lend a helping hand to those in need.
He was a lifetime fisherman and spent his last few weeks fishing on the Mackay Reservoir. While trolling and catching his limit of kokanee each day, he instructed his children and great-grandchildren the proper techniques of baiting the hook, letting just the right amount of line out, reeling in the fish and hoisting it into the boat without a net.
He was a relentless teacher seeking to teach perfectionism in every lesson. He set the achievement bar high and would accept nothing less. We will miss his wisdom, subtle humor and common sense lessons. His uniqueness was unequivocal and we all feel incredibly blessed for having him in our lives.
He is survived by his wife, Sakae Holloway of Blackfoot; one brother, Frank Hocking of Henderson, Nev.; and one sister, Dolly Ausich of Mackay (Lost River Nursing Home); one son, Billy (Caryn) Hocking Jr. of Blackfoot; two daughters, Connie Wasia Anderson of Blackfoot and Margaret Van Orden of Mackay; two stepsons, Gene Holloway of Hailey and Stanley (Anita) Holloway of Burley; six grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and five step-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Dorothy, Myrtle and Mary (Cleo); and four brothers, Pat (Gilbert) Clayton, Gene and Tiny (Glen).
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at Mt. McCaleb Cemetery. Military rites will be performed by the American Legion Joe Nowacki Post No. 16 of Mackay. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Anderson Family Funeral Home of Arco.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Mackay American Legion Post No. 16. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers during our time of loss. Published in Post Register on August 25, 2010
Parents:
Ernest Garfield Hocking (1888 - 1967)
Clara Rose Hocking (1890 - 1959)