I met Billie when I attended Red Raider Owernigth Camp as a foreign counellor in 1970 and 1971. Those two summers where some of the best of my life, and I still remember the Red Raider spirit. Since 1971 I've only met Billie once when she and Louise Tolbert where on vacation to Europe. But all these years Billie and me sent Chrsitmas Cards to each other. I'll miss these cards and her letters where she wrote about her family - and I send my condoleces to them.

My Dad recalls Billie picking him up in the wood panel station wagon when coming to Red Raider Camp. My Mother met him there at camp and they both worked summers there on the waterfront. They will be celebrating their 5oth wedding anniversary next Sept. 3rd (Gail Deglemann and Dave Burger! My parents took my sister and I each summer when we were young. We have fond memories of the Red Raider Knight-smores, riding Milky Way and Reginald the goat eating our clothes off the line! Wish my young boys could have experienced summers at Red Raider too.
Billie also picked up Christa Esch for camp. She was originally from Germany. She met her husband Ed Esch at camp (a neighbor friend of my mothers) and they are married and have two grown girls also.
The camp taught life skills and people made lifetime friendships there thanks to Billie and Fox. They were a dear couple that touched so many lives! She will be greatly missed.
Love and Prayers to the family,
Maryjane (Burger)Hadley

We met as widows, in a class whose focus was on figuring our next moves & steps, how to walk tall, find our way. She was an ageless person; always was, I'm sure. We were fortunate to be able to convey to each other, with very few words but with a sense that we were understood, our profound sadness over our spouses' deaths. We shared laughter, too, as time went by. Ah, Billie was a lovely person. Special.

Billie was a true friend to me and my Mom (Ginny Janovsky). Her musical voice and positive spirit live on in our memories. Thanks, Billie, for the years we went to Florida together, for Turtle Beach. Thanks for Red Raider, which to this day pops up as a special place in my dreams. Thanks for the West Woods, for being my Mom's Playhouse buddy, and for always being ready to help. We miss you!

As a camper, Billie was my role model - my 'Rosie the Riveter', woman in slacks, confident, resourceful, kind... and manning those gears on the bus going up the hill... we had to maintain silence so she could listen to the gears grind. Rah Rah Red Raider! She is with her Fox now (Fox was my mother's gym teacher!) and I know they've already set up camp up above. Fox and Billie helped give us young campers great values and an appreciation of nature.

My most sincere condolences to the extended Smith family,

Love,

Susie
susiewyk@hotmail.com