Billy Joe Hahn Jr.
- Published: November 6, 2025
Billy Joe Hahn Jr., lover of life and liberty, left this realm, after a year-long battle with cancer.
He was an adoring parent to his only child, Madelyn, and a cherished loved one to his family and friends. He boldly stood for being a decent human being. He was the genuine real-deal who loved deeply. If you were in his sphere, you were lucky, because he would defend you to the end.
He was an ’80s–’90s kid, who loved his bikes and skates, and big-time wrestling with his brother and cousins. He loved anything Marvel, and was a master of Nintendo — “Mario” and “Punch-Out.” He was a math whiz who refused to show his work, but pulled the right answers seemingly out of thin air. He made friends easily and always had an eye for fun. He played soccer, football and baseball throughout middle and high school — appreciating his coaches even when it was hard. He was the guy who’d dare to turn on the field lights at Gaunt Park so everyone could enjoy night sledding on the hill. He was also the guy who used his insurance payout to buy fireworks and light up the back roads of Clifton with his brother.
Ever the hard worker, Billy started his first enterprise when he was 10, making and selling hemp bracelets with his stepsister and friends at shows and rallies. His neighborhood lawn mowing service earned him enough to buy his first car, which he tricked out with a JVC sound system and blue under-carriage lights. Like a lot of kids around his hometown, he worked at Youngs, Kroger and Village Automotive while attending Yellow Springs High School and the Greene County Career Center, graduating in 2002. He worked at the Airway Drive-thru and Beaver Vue Bowling, where he met many of the friends he’s walked alongside until now. He went on to study civil engineering at Sinclair, earning an associate degree and interning with Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies, where he was hired on and spent the rest of his career as part of the team that develops GPS controls for heavy equipment.
Cars were his first love: The Dodge Spirit, the Eagle Talon, the Ford Probe and the Nissan Maxima, each one faster than the one before. He loved to go fast and race. He once got caught drag racing on 444, and when he went to federal court, the judge, who was enjoying his last day before retirement, laughed and said his first case was a drag race case too, so he gave Billy a stern warning and let him walk out with his license minus two points.
He liked to ride motorcycles, too, but mostly stopped once Madelyn was born. After owning passenger trucks, for years, he found his latest auto love, a 54 Buick, which he began restoring and augmenting and named Sleeping Beauty.
Billy said the best thing in his life was becoming a father. He was that dad who would get up at night to rock a cranky Maddie. He had his own manly diaper bag and a methodical way of changing her diapers and rigging up feeding props so his hands could be free while he held his baby girl on his chest. He was a gentle giant with a hair brush. He loved making things for her, including her swingset and big-girl bed. He showed her how to handle tools and make things. But mostly he just loved her so much, and their bond is as strong as any could be.
The year after Madelyn was born, Billy was diagnosed with testicular cancer, fortunately detecting it early enough to completely have it removed. He became a staunch advocate for No-Shave November and reminded everyone to notice every change. Billy was always happy to lend a hand. He was the first to show up to help a friend move or renovate a kitchen, or lift and haul a load. He signed up for community cleanups, and alongside co-workers, pulled literal tons of garbage out of the Great Miami River. “The world honestly needs more people like him, not less,” said so many in the last few days.
A few years ago, Billy met his girlfriend, Nicky. They enjoyed travel and family activities with her daughter and Madelyn. Together, they navigated his cancer diagnosis and treatment.
He was preceded in death by his grandpa Bobby, grandma Ruby and cousin Jeffery, his grandma Brenda and stepgrandpa William. He leaves behind his loving daughter, Madelyn, and doggy, Harley; his girlfriend, Nicky; his dad, Billy Sr.; his ma, Dawn; and stepdad, William; his brother, Dakota; and nieces, Anna and Haley; his stepsister, Elizabeth and her children; his stepbrother, Evan; his aunts, Sis and Bobbi; and cousin Haili; and many friends close enough to be considered family, plus so many others who knew and appreciated him.
Our world brightened up the day he was born, and he would want us to “make the best of this life” we have been given even through the unbearable weight of his loss.
A celebration of Billy’s life will be held on Nov. 22, 2025, at 5 p.m., at VFW Post 3283, located at 5704 Nebraska Ave., Huber Heights, OH 45424.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to any of his causes, including The American Cancer Society, Planned Parenthood, your local food bank or animal shelter.
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