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Obituary for William Angelo (Billy) Primos
William Angelo “Billy” Primos Madison, MS
William Angelo “Billy” Primos, Sr., 87, died April 3, 2022, at St. Catherine’s Village in Madison.
Born April 19, 1934, to the late Angelo Primos and the late Mildred Primos, he grew up on Claiborne Street in West Jackson with three older brothers and one older sister before moving to the “Primos property” in northeast Jackson (currently Meadowbrook Highlands subdivision) at about 12 years of age. Billy graduated from Jackson Central High School in 1952 and continued his education at the University of Mississippi, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1956. While at Ole Miss, he was initiated into Kappa Alpha Fraternity.
A veteran, Billy served his country in the U.S. Army following graduation and was stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas, from 1956 to 1957. While at Ft. Hood, Billy began dating Mary Jane Eason, whom he had previously dated at Central High, while Mary Jane was a senior at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. They became engaged and were later married at Perkins Chapel on the SMU campus on April 13, 1957.
Billy then left for Germany, where he was stationed near Bad Noheim, Germany. Mary Jane joined him after graduation. They were in Germany approximately one and a half years and enjoyed traveling around Europe, including the Rhine Valley, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and England. Billy, an avid photographer, took beautiful photos that were later viewed with great pleasure in family “slide shows.”
Billy and Mary Jane returned to the states, settling in Jackson. Billy managed “Primos #4” on Capitol Street and later became manager of “Primos #2” on State Street near the Baptist Hospital. Following the loss of Primos #2 to fire in January 1994, Billy and Mary Jane retired.
After many years of hard work in the restaurant business, Billy and Mary Jane savored their years of retirement together, including delightful summers in Little Switzerland, North Carolina, near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Billy had always excelled at fishing and hunting – as a younger adult he participated in professional fishing tournaments and was invited to participate in the Bassmasters Classic tournament – and he continued those pastimes following retirement. He particularly enjoyed catching redfish in the marshes of Louisiana.
In his younger days he was a skilled golfer. An avid birdwatcher as well, in later years he delighted in watching hummingbirds at a feeder outside the kitchen of their home.
Billy was a member of the deacon board at First Baptist Church Jackson and participated in committees overseeing the building plant and food preparation and service, among others.
Billy cherished spending time with family, including his five grandchildren. He was also an enthusiastic fan of Ole Miss sports.
Billy was preceded in death by his parents, Angelo Primos and Mildred Primos; his eldest brother, Aleck Primos, and sisters-in-law Billie Claude Primos and Dot Primos; and his sister, Mildred Smith, and brother-in-law Victor P. Smith, Sr.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 65 years, Mary Jane Primos; his three children, William A. Primos, Jr. (Genevieve), Janie Primos Prewitt (Steven), and Noel Eason Primos (Andrea); his grandchildren, Caleb Glenn Primos (Captain, U.S. Army), Stephanie Prewitt Boozer (Patrick), Anna Prewitt, William A. Primos, III, and Julia Primos; his elder brother Kenneth Primos and sister-in-law Mary Ann Primos; his elder brother Gus Primos and sister-in-law Jonelle Primos; and many nephews, nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, April 8, 2022, in the Chapel of First Baptist Church of Jackson, with visitation beginning at 1:00 pm. and the service at 3:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson.
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