Apr. 13, 1955 - Mar. 31, 2026
Date of Service: Apr. 8, 2026
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BURLEY – It is with much sorrow that we announce the passing of Billie Rae DeNaughel. She was a wonderful wife, mother, Nana, grandmother, daughter, aunt, sister and friend. Billie Rae lived a life of service. Service to her family, her community, her church and her God. She was born in Burley, Idaho, on the 13th of April 1955 to William Duane and Leta Rae (Cutler) Jackson. She was their second daughter. She was instantly loved by her older sister, Sherral, who had just turned one. Soon she was a big sister to Debbie, in 1957, and Brenda, in 1959. Then came her brothers, Randy in 1962, and Mike in 1965.
She attended school at Heyburn Elementary and Heyburn Middle school. She graduated from Minico High School in 1973.
Her first job out of high school was at King’s Department Store in Burley as a bookkeeper. She later worked at the Burley Post Office for many years.
Billie Rae was a dedicated piano player and organist. She was taught piano by her aunt, Linda Cutler, and she developed her talent and taught herself the organ through her dedication to learn. She spent many hours as a young woman practicing at the old Heyburn chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her dedication blessed her various wards and her family throughout her entire life including this Palm Sunday as she performed an organ solo in her home ward. She was always prepared, able and willing to serve as an organist or a pianist in her ward callings and other occasions that required her musical skills. Her desire was to one day play in the House of the Lord.
Family meant everything to Billie Rae.
Billie Rae met and married Ken DeNaughel. They married on the 22nd of November 1974, in the Idaho Falls Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They recently celebrated their 51st Wedding Anniversary.
April Anne joined their family and soon her sister, Christina followed by Carrie, Joey, Jeffrey and Jenn. She loved her children. She remarkably worked at the Post Office as she raised her growing family. It wasn’t easy to balance work and a family but she did it.
She and Ken raised six beautiful children and welcomed 25 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, Hazel, into their family.
Billie Rae truly lived a life of service. She has been actively caring for her mother, Leta Rae Jackson. She loved being a kind, caring daughter and did all she could to make mom comfortable by providing meals, spending time visiting, planting an inside garden and taking her to appointments. Billie Rae enjoyed being with her mom.
Billie Rae and Ken also have been helping April, their oldest daughter, providing love and care following her stroke in 2022. One of her many truly unselfish acts of service nurturing and caring for her family members and loved ones. Billie Rae did all she did out of love.
Billie Rae will be best known for her service to others. The cards and notes she sent. The prayers she offered. The hours spent worrying about others and trying to lighten burdens along her way.
Billie Rae was currently a Temple Ordinance worker for the new Burley Idaho Temple. She was honored to serve in the House of the Lord after its dedication in January 2026. She loved serving the Lord. She will be remembered as a woman of faith. She loved the Lord. She bore her testimony of Jesus Christ often through her music.
She has been a dedicated wife, mother and Nana. She did all she could to lift burdens from her children. If it was a hug, a prayer, run an errand, she was willing to do it. She fiercely loved and served her family.
Billie Rae was preceded in death by her father, William D. Jackson; her sister, Debbie Anne Jackson; and a granddaughter, Mlee DeNaughel; and a son-in-law, Jared Jones.
Billie Rae leaves behind her husband of 51 years, Ken DeNaughel of Burley; daughter, April Jones of Perry, Utah with her seven children: Thomas, James, Andrew, Grace, Faith, Matthew, and Zachary Jones (Beth); daughter, Christina Andrae (Brandon) of Heyburn, with her children: Kenyon (great-granddaughter Hazel), Aleah, Madison and Chloe; daughter, Carrie DeNaughel of Burley (owner of the Burley Reminder); son, Joey DeNaughel of Burley, with his children: KC, MLee (deceased) JD and LE; son, Jeffrey DeNaughel (Danielle) of Burley, with his children: Treagan, Rilynn, Kabarie, Jasper and Liberty; daughter, Jennifer Christensen (Greg) of South Dakota, with her children: Onita, Aldr, Bandr, Conrad, Darius and Eliza.
She is also survived by her mother, Leta Jackson of Heyburn; her sisters, Sherral Curtis (Wayne) of Klondike, Arizona, and Brenda Cooper (Wendell) of Glendale, Arizona; and brothers, Randy Jackson (Evea) of Rupert, and Mike (Iris) Jackson of Burley; also many nieces and nephews who loved their Aunt Billie Rae.
Billie Rae has been a radiant beacon of light in this world. She brought goodness and gladness to all she met and loved. She radiated kindness, grace and love. She was fearless in attacking a hornets nest and she mothered, nurtured and defended her family with that same fearless spirit. She found joy in spending time with her family and in sharing her love of music. Because of her example many in her family have developed their own love for music as well. Billie Rae loved hunting and camping with her family. She loved spending time with them. She was proud of each one of them! She will always be remembered for her love, her light, her smile and her music. Billie Rae has been called home to that God who gave her life. (Alma 40:11) We thank Heavenly Father for her life. The precious time we had with her and we thank her for her love that she so freely gave.
She will be forever missed but we know she is now playing her music in her heavenly home on high…surrounded by her many loved ones on that side of the veil. She was and is a disciple of Jesus Christ. Until we meet again.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Star 2nd Ward, located at 96 South 200 West, of Burley. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.
Family and friends will be received from 5 until 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 East 16th Street, in Burley, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, preceding the funeral, at the church.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/AimyMUbqG-o.
