Billie Margaret Stanley

Born May 16th, 1934, in Dalhart, TX (you’ll have to Google it, no one can answer your question), Billie was an only child who didn’t have to share the affections of her parents with any snot-nosed little brothers. Her family moved to Prairie Grove, AR in…we’re not certain when.

In Prairie Grove, Billie flourished. Her wonderful personality ensured she was surrounded with great friends. Billie Wallace was voted “Most Beautiful Girl” by her classmates her Senior Year. In spite of—or perhaps because of—her less than stellar grade cards, she stressed education to all her children. She was always there to help them with homework and projects. Unless she was at work.

And Billie worked. Boy did she work. While always in the field of accounting, she often worked multiple jobs. She modeled a wonderful work ethic and stressed the importance of being a great employee. At least one of her children got the lesson.

Billie married Jim Stanley on July 12th, 1958 in Tulsa, OK. They were married 63 years before Jim passed in late 2021. Some of her favorite memories of those 63 years surrounded the times they both were competitive snowmachine racers in Alaska. Of course it was Alaska because if it were elsewhere, it would be “snowmobile.” She and Jim shared a frontier spirit that twice had them move to Alaska. And they never shied away from taking a risk. Hmm…perhaps that’s why she often had multiple jobs.

She was quick with a pun or a joke or a riddle. Billie had a tremendous sense of humor. She would tell jokes and had an amazingly quick wit. She passed that trait on to her children and took pride in their punny senses of humor, even when “punny” didn’t always equate with “funny.”

Her grandchildren adored her. And she mentioned more than once that she was glad her grandchildren weren’t too afraid to take her on in a game of Scrabble. Billie was a walking dictionary. Even when she was sitting down. She would challenge all, to challenge her.

Billie was a tremendous supporter of her children’s school activities and sports. She was never shy about bragging on her kids and her grandkids.

She was loved by many, including all who came in contact with her at Savanna House in Gilbert, AZ. She had a church family at Table of Grace in Apache Junction, AZ that visited often and cared for her in true show of God’s love.

Billie is survived by her daughter Tammy Defilippis, and her husband Joe, of Mesa, AZ; son Bink Stanley, and his wife Lorrie, of Gilbert, AZ; stepdaughter Gale Chiesa and her husband George, of Tucson, AZ and daughter-in-law Jodi McMullen of Pollok, TX (Google it. It’s nowhere near Dalhart).

She is also survived by two grandsons; Joey Defilippis, and his wife Tami, of Albany, OR and Tyler Stanley, and his wife Morgan, of Lufkin, TX.

There are five granddaughters who survive Billie; Cara Defilippis and her husband Jim Stanek, of St. John’s, OR; Brooke Craig, and her husband Chad, of Gilbert, AZ; Brittani McCulloch, and her husband Brandon, of Twin Peaks, CA (Nope. Not the same); Dakota Devries, and her husband Michael, of Huntington, TX and Jennifer Hartman of Carbondale, PA.

Billie had nine great-grandchildren; Easton, Avalyn, Cooper, Atticus, Aurora, Liam, Loris, Madison and Mason. They are represented by multiple addresses.

Preceding Billie in death are her husband Jim and her son Tim, and, her parents William Cleveland and Hulda Clara Sophia Wallace.

Billie was a light to all who knew her. Always had a wonderful smile and a politeness that exemplified her beauty. She will be missed by all who had the true pleasure of knowing her.