Billie Margaret Breeland

She was born the middle of 5 children to Enoch and Dessie Saul Latta. Growing up on a farm included many chores such as gathering eggs staring at age 5 and milking the cows at age 6. They did not have electricity until she was in high school. Laundry day included making lye soap from pork rind, boiling the lye and clothes in a washtub over a fire and hanging on a clothesline to dry. Play time included climbing trees and pretending to be Tarzan, dress-up, kick-the-can, Annie Over, and croquet. She participated in 4-H (sewing and canning) and sang in the school choir.

Her family attended church every Sunday-twice a day and some Wednesdays. She was saved at a revival at age 14. She loved the Lord and read her Bible and listened to TV and radio preachers all her life After high school graduation, she attended business school and worked as a receptionist/bookkeeper at Southwestern Public Service Company. There she met a cute electrical engineer named George and eventually they married. He later obtained a job with General Electric and was in their training program which would move them every 3 months to different plants to learn new skills. They had quite the adventure exploring the 5 states in the North Eastern US where they lived. They eventually moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1960. She and George joined North Phoenix Baptist Church in 1978 and were active in directing and teaching Bible Study, assisting in the baptistry and Deacon responsibilities.

Billie was very involved in her children’s lives-driving them to activities, sewing costumes, and baking as needed. Her own interests included ceramics and crocheting. She also worked many years at her polling location.

Vacations were mostly to Texas to see family but included a hike down the Grand Canyon which she was very proud to have completed. After retirement, she and George traveled to the Holy Lands which was her all-time favorite vacation.

She was preceded in death by her husband George in 1988, daughter Suzanne, her parents Enoch and Dessie Latta, sister Louise (JR) Mallow, brothers Gordon (Joyce) Latta, and Richard (Joan) Latta. She is survived by daughters Patricia (Dan) Scott, and Cheryl Friedlander, Brother Harold (Patsy) Latta, 4 grandchildren- Angela (Jon) Balding, George (Melody) Scott, Caitlin (DeWayne) King and Brandon Friedlander as well as 9 great-grandchildren.