Billette Lawson

Billie Lawson was born Billette Burdeau Trombla, September 27, 1926, in Lincoln, NE; she passed from this earth on August 29, 2010 in Boulder, CO from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease; she was 83. Billie was the only daughter of OD and Blanche (Ball) Trombla of Lincoln, where she was raised. Billie lived a very active life – full of music, dance and an abundant social life. Her Dad was a fantastic fisherman and Billie would often go with him on fishing trips. Her Mom, Blanche was an accomplished organist where she played both piano and organ in the Methodist church for decades, it’s there where Billie learned music and about God’s love for us all.

Billie attended the University of Nebraska from 1945-1949 where she majored in Education. At UN, she was a very active member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Even though she lived most of her life in Colorado, she maintained close relationships with a half dozen of the gals from the sorority throughout her life. She enjoyed many trips to Nebraska to visit her sorority sisters and even a few trips to Hawaii and the east coast.

While at UN, Billie met her husband Allen Lawson. Al was a minor league baseball star and also a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. Together they enjoyed a very fun filled college life that culminated in their marriage on Oct 3, 1949, shortly after graduating from college. In 1950, Al’s roots lured the couple to Colorado, where Billie taught school while Big Al played baseball for AAA level baseball teams. He eventually settled down and in 1953, they started their family and by 1958 they had four sons, a family that would define Billie’s role the rest of her life. In order to take care of a growing family, together they started A.L. Lawson Insurance in the early 1950’s. Billie was very organized and detail oriented and she was a natural to keep track of all the issues associated with a family business. She would work with her husband for the next 40 years in the insurance business. The only condition was that the business would be based out of the home so she could raise their sons. The business remained in the Lawson home until 1980 when it moved to their current office in Lakewood. In 1960, they moved to Applewood Mesa where they lived in the same house until Al died in 2008.

Like a lot of WWII era women, Billie was a dedicated mom. She would get up early every week day and make her family a hot breakfast and each evening there would be a home cooked supper. It was a labor of love for Billie, she loved to cook and entertain. She was an excellent cook and many of her recipes are used today by her friends and daughters-in-law. Billie was never daunted by the task of cooking a large meal, even at the last minute; she was famous for cooking fabulous meals for 6 or 60 and having a great time doing it in the process. Billie’s kitchen was the center of their home, always the first place folks congregated. There were plenty of times when kids from the neighborhood or friends from school would show up for a meal at the Lawson home in Applewood; they always knew they were welcome. She really was a mom well suited to have a family of boys, and she wasn’t shy about letting everyone know that she was partial to boys. All her four boys would agree that her love was unconditional and she always put her kid’s first. God certainly knew what he was doing when he blessed her with four sons in about a five year span; she was truly a loving mother.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s the family was fully involved in sports in the Golden and Wheatridge area. From little league to high school, there was a sport for each season of the year and both Billie and Al were active participants in their kids’ activities. Billie was often the team mom, den mother, assistant teacher, car pool coordinator and she was the person who kept the family business together for 40 years. She also cheered for each of her son’s in sports at WR High for most of the 70’s; when it seemed like there was always a Lawson boy at WRHS.

Billie was very proud that each of her sons graduated from college; two from CU and one each from CSU and Mines. As her sons married and started families, Billie found her next calling in life…being a grandmother. All her grandchildren were special to Billie and she loved her name “Grammy”.

Billie is survived by her four sons and nine grand children: John and Meg live in Idaho (Sam and Jack); Tom and Sheila live in Glenwood Springs (Leanna and Kelly); Don and Karen live in Boulder ( Kristin, Jessica and Erik); Jim and Patty live in Lakewood ( Jamie and Courtney). She was preceded in death by her father OD, mother Blanche, and brother Jack Trombla.

A memorial service will be held at the Olinger Crown Hill facility on W 29th at 6:00 pm on Friday September 3, 2010. A short reception will follow after the service. The family would suggest donations in lieu of flowers be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association in her name (at www.alz.org or 1-800-272-3900).

The pall bearers are her 9 grandchildren, honorary pall bearers are her four sons and Jennifer/Joe O’dorisio, Dan/Donna Trombla, Julie/Jack/Ben Smith.

Billie Lawson was an outgoing, intelligent and vibrant woman, devoted and loving mother, sincere and hard working businesswoman and a great friend. She will be missed by many for her zest for life, work ethic and love of her family. May she rest in peace as her baptism is fulfilled in her death.