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Billie C. Hooper, 85, died peacefully on April 16, 2010. She is survived by her daughters Linda Hooper-Cook and Donna Hooper-Stark; granddaughter, Shanna L. D. Cook; great-granddaughter Madalyn M. Nilsson; and sister LaDonna V. Harris and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Ray Hooper in 1981; her parents William Evans and Lily Crawford; and her grandparents John and Wickki Tabbytite. Yet, a life well-lived is far more than facts. It's the heart-lifting joy of small moments and big laughs shared the gratification of a hard job well-done and the warm, unstinting devotion to family and friends, no matter where they roam or what they do. Billie Hooper lived all this and more. When her family and friends remember Billie - we cry for what we have lost. Then we smile for what we had. She lived a good life and she shared that goodness with everyone - be they family, friends, or total strangers. Linda recalls her Mother's unfailing generosity and kindness to others. But, kind as she was, Billie also had a code of conduct; she epitomized that certain grace of combined personal privacy, calm action and public service that we seem to have lost in today's hectic "It's all about ME! Everything goes and tell everyone about it!" world. Raised on a Oklahoma farm by her grandparents, John and Wickk , Billie early on learned the value and virtues of hard work. A child of the Great Depression, she mastered the old-fashioned talents of gardening, cooking, and simply making do. Billie shared her goodness and intelligence with many she never really knew, working in PHS Indian hospital for 35 years. The first ten years she worked in a tuberculosis ward - which back then many thought extremely dangerous - so she also had no shortage of courage. When her husband, Ray, went off to fight in World War II, she rolled up her sleeves and took a job in a ball bearing factory to do her part. With her mixed heritage - her grandmother was a full-blood Comanche - she knew in her core that respect and consideration are both strengths and virtues in our American melting pot. A life-long Democrat,-she was excited to vote for the first black president, and her VERY FIRST words when coming out of her recent surgery, were, "Did they pass health care?" While conservative in many ways - she never spent a dollar she didn't have - Billie was a liberal in the best sense of the word - open-minded, giving, and unafraid of change. Billie was quiet, but loved to be surrounded by people; she found them endlessly fascinating, rather they were sitting in her den or talking on CNN. She was a MSNBC/CNN junkie and could tell you - in sometimes excruciating detail - what was going on in current affairs..and her opinion of it. Although shy, she was definitely NOT unassuming. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted it. Christmas was always a major undertaking, when she cooked for days.and the search for the ABSOLUTELY perfect Christmas tree took the family to seemingly every lot in town.and then back again. One year, her husband Ray decided he'd had enough of looking at "9 million trees." So, he decided to "surprise" Billie and went off and bought one on his own. That afternoon Donna came home from school to find her father cussing and covered in sawdust. He was cutting branches and drilling holes to create the right tree at Billie's direction. He never bought another tree on his own. But through it all - he loved and appreciated Billie. In fact, in middle age - Ray and Billie rediscovered their youthful passion and seemed to their daughters to fall in love all over again. Billie's last words to her gathered family were "Be nice to each other..and don't pick on Linda! No, now, I'm SERIOUS!" So, with that - we ask our readers to seriously say "thank you" to Billie and applaud her life - well-lived and laughed. And, be nice to each other. A memorial celebration will be held Wednesday, 6:00 p.m. April 21, 2010 at French Mortuary, 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Roadrunner Food Bank or The Storehouse. Private burial will take place at a later date at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Please visit our online guestbook for Billie at RememberTheirStory.com French 10500 Lomas Blvd. NE (505) 275-3500
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