Billie Jean Tillotson

     Billie Jean Tillotson, age 87, joined her beloved family in heaven during her evening's peaceful sleep on September 10, 2023.

     Billie Jean was born in Brentwood California on July 21, 1936, and grew up in Oroville, CA, graduating from Oroville High School in 1954.

     At 17 Billie Jean married William O’Kelley and moved to Westwood near Quincy, CA to start their family. They had 3 children together and despite their eventual divorce, William, age 92, along with his wife Doris, remained good friends with Billie Jean.

     Billie married James Richardson of Oroville, CA, and moved to a cattle ranch in Oregon, where they were blessed with a 3rd daughter. Billie and Jim raised Yvonne, Jeanette, Mark, and Rebecca in Brownsville, Oregon and Carson City, Nevada, and though Billie and Jim later divorced, they too remained friends until Jim's death in 2009.

      Billie married Chuck Pratt, inheriting 4 wonderful stepchildren - Lori, Mert, Debbie and Susan. Billie and Chuck lived for 20 years in Quincy, CA, traveling throughout the West often.

     Billie Jean had a diverse and interesting career path over the years. She served as a dispatcher for the Linn County Sheriff Dept., a receptionist for a Doctor, an Angus Ranch Manager, a tutor for adults studying for their GED diploma, a licensed real estate agent, and she ran her own astrology business! Billie retired as the Chief Deputy for the Welfare Division for the State of Nevada. Her positive, "can do" attitude was an inspiration to untold colleagues and friends throughout her many successful ventures.

     Billie loved to write and she wrote hundreds of poems, many of which won blue ribbons and grand champion prizes in the local county fairs. Those poems were often about family members or events in her life. She loved to crochet, play ping pong, cards, fish, camp & read. Billie Jean also loved a good garage sale and spent many weekends chasing deals and bargains to send to her family. She was an avid pen pal to young and old alike. Billie always had pets and in her older years she loved her many cats, who were a great comfort to her.

     She was preceded in death: by two daughters - Yvonne Saunders and Susan Andersen, as well as her sister - Edwina.

     Billie is survived by: sister - Deborah Mayor; 6 children, 34 grandchildren, 69 great-grandchildren and 17 great, great grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

     Billie Jean will be laid to rest in the beautiful Oroville Cemetery near her parents and grandparents. Family celebrations of life will be held in Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon and a graveside gathering in the spring in Oroville, Calif. 

     In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting small donations to help build a bench to be placed overlooking the river in Idaho at Neher Park, a park/wildlife preserve that her daughter and grandchildren spent many hours helping to create.  Donations can be sent in care of her daughter Jeanette Wood, 3520 Cherokee Drive, Carson City, Nevada 89705.

     Cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service – Shoshone Chapel.

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