Bob and Billie Jo Brotherton have known each other almost their entire lives. “Bob and I went from elementary through Haughton High School together, which was grades one to 12 back then. I started liking him in the seventh, but he wasn’t interested in girls at the time,” said Billie Jo. But, by the time Bob was in the ninth grade and Billie Jo was in the eighth, they were a couple.
“After that we dated and never broke up. I knew he was the one!” They married on September 3, 1971, while they were at Northwestern State University. She was 18 and he was 19. Bob said when they went to get their marriage license, he received a bit of a shock.
“We almost were denied the license because when the clerk asked Billie Jo what her mother’s maiden name was, she answered, ‘Brotherton’,” Bob said. “The lady thought Billie Jo had misunderstood and said, ‘No, your mother’s maiden name.’ Billie Jo looked at me and said, ‘I know what she is asking. My mother’s maiden name is Brotherton.’ Well, I dated this girl for five years and she never mentioned that her mother was a Brotherton! Now, I am wondering if we could get a license. After a very long conversation, explaining where her mother was from and the family history, we were granted a marriage license.”
Both received master’s degrees from Louisiana Tech and then devoted their working lives to education, with long successful careers until their retirement in 2007.
“Bob coached and taught at Haughton High School for 33 years. He was an assistant football and head track coach,” said Billie Jo. “I taught kindergarten for 24 years before moving into the assistant principal position for my last nine years.”
Today, Bob is currently in his fourth term on the Bossier Parish Police Jury while Billie Jo is in her third term on the Bossier Parish School Board, both serving District 1.
Their two sons, Jason and Coy, graduated from Haughton High, where Jason is now head football coach. Both went to NSU and majored in physical education “just like their dad. I tell Bob we either did something really right or really wrong,” she said. “Both boys married wonderful girls. Jason’s wife Kenda is a nurse practitioner. Jason was able to coach with his dad before Bob retired and they both coached Coy. That was very special for our family.”
“Coy is now the head football coach at Parkway and his wife Stacey teaches math at Haughton. The couple have four grandchildren, ages seven to 16.
“I was very lucky throughout my coaching career because I have a very dedicated wife that supported me,” said Bob. “I don’t think she missed more than two football games in 33 years. She also went to all my track meets. We now go to our grandkids’ games and support them. They are busy with track, football, baseball, archery, cheer, dance, volleyball, and running. Every week one or more have events. We absolutely love watching them.”
