Billie

Soft as an angel wing your
Spirit  that hides
Rosie the riveter

Did you know even then
That you were walking through
History as you walked through
California plants in pants?

Did you know even then
That you were walking through
Time as you waited for your
Black-eyed sailor boy

Did you know even then
That you were mother
Of men as you bound your
Hair like Betty Grable

Did you know even then
That you were God’s gentle
Soul?

Did you know?

April 17, 1925, was the day that my sister, Billie Louise, was born. She was born into a family that would include four other sisters and into a time in which women would assume roles that were unheard of on that day. And she was a true woman of her time.

Our parents were farmers in Lynn and Dawson County in far West Texas when Billie was born in Lamesa, Texas. Her older sister, Laura Elberta was 1 year and 8 months old when she was born. Billie was always active and lively while Elberta was dreamy and introverted. This liveliness and zest defined my sister’s life. She had plans and was willing to work to get to where she wanted to be. This included leaving home and moving in with our cousins (Luther and Christine Lee) when she was a teenager—she had a huge crush on Robert Luther!

Later she left for California where she lived with our Aunt Leona and Uncle Nelson while she worked in the plants…one of the millions of American women who joined the workforce, filling vacant jobs and contributing to the success of this country in World War II. As soon as the war ended, she married her husband of 67 years, Marshall Henderson at Aunt Leona’s home.

They returned to Texas. And Billie never stopped working.

In her work in the Gaines County land office (and later in Houston), she knew more about land and law than most lawyers and was invaluable when we were sorting through our parents’ dealings upon their death. When I started working with her in the land office in Seminole, Texas, she taught me the work ethic that has served me my entire life. Billie lived her life with a passion…

A passion to do everything she could for her son, Danny, when he contracted polio…she left no stone unturned to save and do everything possible for him

A passion for her family…Marshall, Derral and Danny…moving alone across the state of Texas to build a better life for them…Marshall and the boys following and starting their own business in the Houston area

A passion for healing…Billie was a healer and was an amazing source of knowledge about healing…especially natural healing. I’ve always thought that she inherited our paternal grandmother’s gift of being a healer.

A passion for her grandchildren. She was a constant support of them…ensuring James’ education and bringing them to family reunions at Luby’s cafeteria so that they were rooted in family. We were all at James’ events throughout his school years.

A passion for and a tremendous talent for art. Late in life, she created magic moments of family life and nature.

A passion for her faith which she picked up like a whirlwind and which developed into a deep and profound devotion to living a good life. I depended on her deep knowledge of the Bible.

The last years that she was in Houston, I would pick her up, and we would go exploring, always stopping to get a ice cream drumstick….vowing that it was our secret. So my dear sister, Billie Louise, I remember you with love today and lift a chocolate covered ice cream drumstick to your memory.

(Three of Billie’s creations…The Afghan girl from National Geographic, a painting of me and mother and an original painting by Billie Louise Archer Henderson.)