Updated Nov 2 2014. Cleaning out closets today I came across one of my mom's favorite pullover shirts. White with purple trim and on the front are several purple Irises. I started thinking about the things she liked and wanted to add them here because we are all so much more than the facts of our lives. Her favorite flower was the purple iris. Favorite perfumes Emeraude and Wind Song. Country/Bluegrass/Gospel were her style of music. A few singers she liked a lot: Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Randy Travis and Charlie Pride. Favorite soft drink, diet Dr. Pepper. She loved her "shows" which meant daytime soap opera's. She liked a lot of cars but her favorite was the Pontiac Grand Am. Some more of her favorites: banana milk shakes, homemade cornbread, biscuits and gravy, crackers and buttermilk, Rock Hudson and Doris Day, Bonanza and Star Trek.
*****
Edna Aline Billings was born in Memphis, Tennessee at what was then known as John Gaston Hospital. She married George Clarence Pepin who was in the Navy and stationed at Millington, Tennessee at the time. He was originally from Ishpeming, Michigan.
They had one child, Mary Alice Pepin, born in July, 1959. She married Nathan Kent Moran in May 2004 and bore a son named Nathan George Moran on September 15, 1997.
Edna had two sisters and three brothers. With the death of the youngest Billings sibling in August 2012 my cousins and myself are now the "older generation".
Irma Jean Billings Murphy
Julia Marie Billings
David Allen Billings
James Edward Billings
Melvin Maurice "Jack" Billings Sr
Edna never remarried after the death of her husband. Her mother encouraged her and her sister Marie to move in together and in 1963 the two sisters purchased a home in the Colonial Acres neighborhood of Memphis. They stayed together until about 1998 when the two sisters sold the house and went their separate ways.
Edna worked at a variety of places through the years starting with the Chili Bowl, a small family restaurant owned by her father M.A. Billings. That's where she met her future husband, George Pepin. Later she worked for Guy McHand, owner of four Frostop restaurants in the Memphis area. Later she went on to work for Payless Shoe Source, and Coopers Piggly Wiggly.
After the birth of her only grandchild, Nathan George Moran, she began taking care of him because she couldn't stand the thought of his being in daycare. He was her greatest joy in life.
In January 2000 Edna was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung, a very aggressive lung cancer. She had 8 months of chemotherapy and went into remission. Over the course of the next several weeks she did well. Then she began to have memory issues, trouble walking, and other symptoms that she continued to hide from us.
On the day after Thanksgiving 2000 she was not able to get out of bed and I took her to the emergency room at St. Francis Hospital. After more than 12 hours of waiting I was told that the cancer had spread to her brain and there was nothing they could do. She stayed in hospital until December 7. She died at home two days later on December 9 at approximately 7pm.
My mother didn't want a funeral. She said that she didn't want everyone gawking at her after she died. A private, very small get together was held at Forest Hill Cemetery East. Those in attendance were myself, my husband Kent Moran, and my mothers favorite brother and sister-in-law Jack and Brenda Billings.
----
Mom, I wish had your memory for dates. You always knew when someone's birthday was coming up or when they died. I smile when I think about how you said your body might be crap but there wasn't a darn thing wrong with your brain. :)
*****
Edna Aline Billings was born in Memphis, Tennessee at what was then known as John Gaston Hospital. She married George Clarence Pepin who was in the Navy and stationed at Millington, Tennessee at the time. He was originally from Ishpeming, Michigan.
They had one child, Mary Alice Pepin, born in July, 1959. She married Nathan Kent Moran in May 2004 and bore a son named Nathan George Moran on September 15, 1997.
Edna had two sisters and three brothers. With the death of the youngest Billings sibling in August 2012 my cousins and myself are now the "older generation".
Irma Jean Billings Murphy
Julia Marie Billings
David Allen Billings
James Edward Billings
Melvin Maurice "Jack" Billings Sr
Edna never remarried after the death of her husband. Her mother encouraged her and her sister Marie to move in together and in 1963 the two sisters purchased a home in the Colonial Acres neighborhood of Memphis. They stayed together until about 1998 when the two sisters sold the house and went their separate ways.
Edna worked at a variety of places through the years starting with the Chili Bowl, a small family restaurant owned by her father M.A. Billings. That's where she met her future husband, George Pepin. Later she worked for Guy McHand, owner of four Frostop restaurants in the Memphis area. Later she went on to work for Payless Shoe Source, and Coopers Piggly Wiggly.
After the birth of her only grandchild, Nathan George Moran, she began taking care of him because she couldn't stand the thought of his being in daycare. He was her greatest joy in life.
In January 2000 Edna was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung, a very aggressive lung cancer. She had 8 months of chemotherapy and went into remission. Over the course of the next several weeks she did well. Then she began to have memory issues, trouble walking, and other symptoms that she continued to hide from us.
On the day after Thanksgiving 2000 she was not able to get out of bed and I took her to the emergency room at St. Francis Hospital. After more than 12 hours of waiting I was told that the cancer had spread to her brain and there was nothing they could do. She stayed in hospital until December 7. She died at home two days later on December 9 at approximately 7pm.
My mother didn't want a funeral. She said that she didn't want everyone gawking at her after she died. A private, very small get together was held at Forest Hill Cemetery East. Those in attendance were myself, my husband Kent Moran, and my mothers favorite brother and sister-in-law Jack and Brenda Billings.
----
Mom, I wish had your memory for dates. You always knew when someone's birthday was coming up or when they died. I smile when I think about how you said your body might be crap but there wasn't a darn thing wrong with your brain. :)
Updated Nov 2 2014. Cleaning out closets today I came across one of my mom's favorite pullover shirts. White with purple trim and on the front are several purple Irises. I started thinking about the things she liked and wanted to add them here because we are all so much more than the facts of our lives. Her favorite flower was the purple iris. Favorite perfumes Emeraude and Wind Song. Country/Bluegrass/Gospel were her style of music. A few singers she liked a lot: Bill Monroe, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, George Jones, Randy Travis and Charlie Pride. Favorite soft drink, diet Dr. Pepper. She loved her "shows" which meant daytime soap opera's. She liked a lot of cars but her favorite was the Pontiac Grand Am. Some more of her favorites: banana milk shakes, homemade cornbread, biscuits and gravy, crackers and buttermilk, Rock Hudson and Doris Day, Bonanza and Star Trek.
*****
Edna Aline Billings was born in Memphis, Tennessee at what was then known as John Gaston Hospital. She married George Clarence Pepin who was in the Navy and stationed at Millington, Tennessee at the time. He was originally from Ishpeming, Michigan.
They had one child, Mary Alice Pepin, born in July, 1959. She married Nathan Kent Moran in May 2004 and bore a son named Nathan George Moran on September 15, 1997.
Edna had two sisters and three brothers. With the death of the youngest Billings sibling in August 2012 my cousins and myself are now the "older generation".
Irma Jean Billings Murphy
Julia Marie Billings
David Allen Billings
James Edward Billings
Melvin Maurice "Jack" Billings Sr
Edna never remarried after the death of her husband. Her mother encouraged her and her sister Marie to move in together and in 1963 the two sisters purchased a home in the Colonial Acres neighborhood of Memphis. They stayed together until about 1998 when the two sisters sold the house and went their separate ways.
Edna worked at a variety of places through the years starting with the Chili Bowl, a small family restaurant owned by her father M.A. Billings. That's where she met her future husband, George Pepin. Later she worked for Guy McHand, owner of four Frostop restaurants in the Memphis area. Later she went on to work for Payless Shoe Source, and Coopers Piggly Wiggly.
After the birth of her only grandchild, Nathan George Moran, she began taking care of him because she couldn't stand the thought of his being in daycare. He was her greatest joy in life.
In January 2000 Edna was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung, a very aggressive lung cancer. She had 8 months of chemotherapy and went into remission. Over the course of the next several weeks she did well. Then she began to have memory issues, trouble walking, and other symptoms that she continued to hide from us.
On the day after Thanksgiving 2000 she was not able to get out of bed and I took her to the emergency room at St. Francis Hospital. After more than 12 hours of waiting I was told that the cancer had spread to her brain and there was nothing they could do. She stayed in hospital until December 7. She died at home two days later on December 9 at approximately 7pm.
My mother didn't want a funeral. She said that she didn't want everyone gawking at her after she died. A private, very small get together was held at Forest Hill Cemetery East. Those in attendance were myself, my husband Kent Moran, and my mothers favorite brother and sister-in-law Jack and Brenda Billings.
----
Mom, I wish had your memory for dates. You always knew when someone's birthday was coming up or when they died. I smile when I think about how you said your body might be crap but there wasn't a darn thing wrong with your brain. :)
*****
Edna Aline Billings was born in Memphis, Tennessee at what was then known as John Gaston Hospital. She married George Clarence Pepin who was in the Navy and stationed at Millington, Tennessee at the time. He was originally from Ishpeming, Michigan.
They had one child, Mary Alice Pepin, born in July, 1959. She married Nathan Kent Moran in May 2004 and bore a son named Nathan George Moran on September 15, 1997.
Edna had two sisters and three brothers. With the death of the youngest Billings sibling in August 2012 my cousins and myself are now the "older generation".
Irma Jean Billings Murphy
Julia Marie Billings
David Allen Billings
James Edward Billings
Melvin Maurice "Jack" Billings Sr
Edna never remarried after the death of her husband. Her mother encouraged her and her sister Marie to move in together and in 1963 the two sisters purchased a home in the Colonial Acres neighborhood of Memphis. They stayed together until about 1998 when the two sisters sold the house and went their separate ways.
Edna worked at a variety of places through the years starting with the Chili Bowl, a small family restaurant owned by her father M.A. Billings. That's where she met her future husband, George Pepin. Later she worked for Guy McHand, owner of four Frostop restaurants in the Memphis area. Later she went on to work for Payless Shoe Source, and Coopers Piggly Wiggly.
After the birth of her only grandchild, Nathan George Moran, she began taking care of him because she couldn't stand the thought of his being in daycare. He was her greatest joy in life.
In January 2000 Edna was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung, a very aggressive lung cancer. She had 8 months of chemotherapy and went into remission. Over the course of the next several weeks she did well. Then she began to have memory issues, trouble walking, and other symptoms that she continued to hide from us.
On the day after Thanksgiving 2000 she was not able to get out of bed and I took her to the emergency room at St. Francis Hospital. After more than 12 hours of waiting I was told that the cancer had spread to her brain and there was nothing they could do. She stayed in hospital until December 7. She died at home two days later on December 9 at approximately 7pm.
My mother didn't want a funeral. She said that she didn't want everyone gawking at her after she died. A private, very small get together was held at Forest Hill Cemetery East. Those in attendance were myself, my husband Kent Moran, and my mothers favorite brother and sister-in-law Jack and Brenda Billings.
----
Mom, I wish had your memory for dates. You always knew when someone's birthday was coming up or when they died. I smile when I think about how you said your body might be crap but there wasn't a darn thing wrong with your brain. :)
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Beloved Mom and Mawmaw
Gravesite Details
WIFE OF GEORGE CLARENCE PEPIN
