Valdora "Janice" Eleen Billings 1915-2011

BILLINGS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 3/27/2011 at 21:30:48

Sioux City Journal
19 January 2011

SIOUX CITY -- Janice Eleen Billings passed away Jan. 12, 2011, at the age of 95. Janice was a longtime resident of Azusa, Hesperia and for the past five years with her granddaughter and grandson-in-law, of Apple Valley, Calif. For the last several months she has resided at Barrington Terrace Assisted Living in Naples Fla., where, like fine bourbons mellow with time and develop character, so she did also becoming a kind and appreciative character of witty wisdoms as she endeared herself to all of the staff and them to her.

Requiem Mass celebrating Janice's life and passing will be held in California with interment in Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Rowland Heights Calif.

Born April 15, 1915, in Belgrade, Neb., Janice, named Valdora Eleen at birth, was the third of eight children born to Harvey H. and Bessie Jane (Howe) Philamalee (Henry Leroy, Ethel Alice (Wanless), Adora Alma (Athern), Harold Harvey, Orville Owen Ziggleman, Edwin Earl and Elnora Elaine (Bonvillian) all of whom predeceased her. Farmer (and moonshiner) Harvey moved his family several times living in Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin and finally Minnesota in the years prior to Bessie's passing in Alexandria, Minn., in 1928.

Cupid's arrow shot straight and true in the fall of 1935, when Janice met automotive parts salesman Stephen John Billings Sr. in Valentine, Neb., and they married in his home town of Sioux City the day after Christmas that same year. It was a marriage that saw and survived 13 moves in the first year they were married (twice one month because the rented apartment had bed bugs), the separation for military service during World War II, a move to California in 1946, business ventures, two children, two grandchildren and retirement until Stephen's passing in 1994, more than 59 years.

She was a resident of Azusa, Calif. from 1947 until the 1980s when they moved up the hill to Hesperia. Janice managed the Clyde A. Blanchard Insurance Agency (originally known as the Meuhe Agency and then the Blanchard-Damron Agency) from the mid-1950s until 1970, when she opened her own independent insurance agency, the Janice Billings Insurance Agency. In an age before the women's movement, Janice was known as an enterprising businesswoman and was the first woman to be elected by the membership to a board seat of the Azusa Chamber of Commerce. In addition to her own successful career, she also assisted her husband with Azusa Motor Parts, the automotive parts store they owned.

Janice and husband Stephen were both active St. Frances of Rome Catholic Church parishioners with Janice a member of Our Lady of Hope Court of Catholic Daughters of America and Stephen a Fourth Degree Life Member Manresa Council Knights of Columbus.

Janice is survived by daughter, Rochelle "Shelly" Taylor (Richard) of Naples Fla.; granddaughter, Janice Marie (Billings Snook) Pickard (William) of Mustang Okla.; grandson, Howard Stephen J.E.D. Snook (Jamie) of Winfield Iowa; great-granddaughter, Ashlyn Jo Snook; stepgrandsons, Brent (Melissa) Pickard and Loren (Kimberly) Pickard; great-stepgrandchildren, Trenten (Brent & Melissa) and Addison and Nathan (Loren & Kimberly); daughter-in-law, Larrisue (Wise Billings) Harkins (Mel); and former daughter-in-law, Nikki Hall (James). Also surviving her are nieces and nephews, Mary (Ullrich) Wilson (Frank), Richard Ullrich, Eugene Ullrich (Connie), Faila (Ullrich) Sherson (Ray), Curtis Schneider, Roxann (Schneider) Turner (Michael), Jeanne Bonvillian, Michael Bonvillian, Bernadette Bonvillian and Jon Bonvillian.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Stephen John Billings Sr. (1911-1994); son, Stephen John Billings Jr. (1951-2001); and stepgrandsons, Jason Mann (1969-2004) and James Mann (1967-2010) predeceased her.

Remembrances may be made with flowers to the cemetery or contributions in Janice's name to the charity or institution of your choice or to Barrington Terrace Assisted Living to whom we will be forever grateful for the incredible kind, loving care Janice received during her time at Barrington.