Billie Joan Sammons Heinis was born in the SC mountains to Emory Levi Sammons of Herndon, GA and Billie Huskey Sammons of Gaffney, SC. She spent her childhood in Taylors, SC with four sisters (San, Sib, Lin and Barbara). After a semester spent studying in New York City with her sister, Barbara, Joan graduated from Furman University with a master’s degree in education.
As a very young woman, Joan bravely traveled alone halfway across the globe to teach in the Philippines and Germany. This was when she introduced her mother and sisters to Europe, as she drove them through many countries in her Volkswagen. After 3 years abroad Joan returned to the states to teach in Atlanta and Greenville for 20 plus years.
Back in Greenville, Joan lived with her mother, Billie, at High Grove in the Travelers Rest countryside with beautiful views of cows, donkeys, and mountains. When Billie’s house was sold, Joan bought the house next door and soon met the love of her life, Markus Heinis.
Joan and Markus met in 1991 at a Shakespeare play at Bob Jones. They married in 1995 at Northgate Baptist Church. At that time Joan got an educational leave from her teaching position and they went together to the UK/Manchester, where Markus had a job as sales manager. During that time, Joan traveled the UK, England, Scotland and Ireland with Markus for business and pleasure. She developed an unusual appetite for the “real” football (soccer) and Markus had nothing against that, well probably he influenced her a bit…... Many Premier League games were attended, and Saturdays became a ritual for Joan and Markus. Joan also volunteered a little at a local school to learn the “English” school system better. After the return to the US Joan continued to teach school until the end of 1999 when she retired after 25 years of teaching. Now she had more time for her home, family, friends and of course her husband.
Joan continued to travel with Markus nationally and internationally. She was open-minded and liked to explore. She had a flair for Italy. Italian food was her favorite, designs and clothing from Italy were high on her agenda. However, she always liked to come home, where mostly everybody spoke English and above all to be near her family, which she loved so dearly. Joan was looking after her health and was very active, taking no prescription medicine until Parkinson’s was detected at the age of 82. She never complained, remaining steadfast in her faith and thankful for the life she and Markus had together. And how thankful we are to have had Joan.
Funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon at Northgate Baptist Church with burial to follow in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 1 PM until 1:50 PM at the church prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Northgate Baptist Church Building Fund.