Dr. B.D. McAda

After living a rich and wonderful life, Billie Doris McAda transitioned to the comfort of her Heavenly home on May 31, 2017. Born November 10, 1934 to Ingle and Doris McAda in Wichita Falls, Texas, Billie Doris (BD) was an electric spirit. With a crown of dark curly hair, deep brown eyes, and a show-stopping smile, BD was a beguiling beauty. Whether pulling her red wagon with pot holders for sale or helping her grandmother increase collections for the Salvation Army, BD’s early life hinted at the service-oriented, generous woman she would become. Wichita Falls schools: Sam Houston Elementary, Zundelowitz Middle School, Wichita Falls High School (’53), and Midwestern State University (’57) provided the foundation that allowed BD to springboard into the University of North Texas for her Masters (’67), and Ph.D. in Vocational Counseling (’80).

As a Licensed Professional Counselor, BD’s career in the Dallas Independent School District spanned 40 years. She successfully provided vocational counseling and guidance to students at the secondary level, was a mentor, and a well-respected colleague. BD was a paragon of poise and sophistication. Her work ethic was bar none. BD was a true champion of higher education and, even in her later years, was still dispensing advice to graduate students with whom she interacted. BD’s greatest achievement was the graduate school that bears her name. The Dr. Billie Doris McAda Graduate School at Midwestern State University serves as a fitting legacy for a woman who was far ahead of her time. In an era when men dominated the workforce, BD McAda shunned tradition, set and achieved lifelong personal and professional goals independently, and lived her life with wisdom, generosity, and grace.

There is simply not enough space to detail the many hobbies and interests that BD enjoyed. As a member of the 1951 City Champion Amazons, BD wowed on the softball field. She was a cheerleader for MSU as well as Homecoming Queen, Campus Favorite, and Boot and Spur Sweetheart. BD was a member of countless professional and educational organizations, and was a proud member of Highland Park United Methodist Church. BD had many definitive loves in her lifetime including but not limited to gardening, woodworking, the great outdoors, art, music, sports, dogs, the Dallas Cowboys, Dr. Pepper, and cheeseburgers.

The earthly body that contained BD’s spirit may be gone, but her energy has now been unleashed into the universe. BD McAda is preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunt. She is survived, and will forever be missed, by the many close friends whom she held so dear. Somewhere along the water’s edge of Lake Wichita, BD, her parents, and her beloved dogs: Penny, Pal, Mojave Joe, Tuda Ann, and Princess are planning their next adventure.