We have set a time during our annual family picnic to honor and celebrate Billie's life. Recognizing that Billie was the last to pass of her five wonderful and supportive siblings, the cousins and their families are invited to use this time to honor and remember their parents. Space will be provided for photographs and keepsakes. Friends are also welcome.  Contact Kyle or Erick if you have any questions.

Schedule: 
Gathering at 64 Utsalady Road begins after 12 pm.
Memorial Gathering at the Ladies Aid (78 Utsalady Road): 2-4 pm
Potluck Dinner: 5 pm

Bring your choice of food and beverages. (Alcohol is allowed at the picnic, but not at the Ladies Aid.)

ZOOM Instructions -- Courtesy of Cousin Gayle:

For those family and friends who aren’t able to attend the gathering in person to honor Billie, Gayle Turner (GMT, PhD Appalachian State University Zoom account) invites you to a Zoom meeting!

You can join us by phone, tablet or computer in the Zoom meeting by clicking on the link below:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://appstate.zoom.us/j/6548092874

For those who prefer to use the meeting ID:

Meeting ID: 654 809 2874

And, if you prefer not to use Zoom but like FaceTime or an Android equivalent, talk to a sibling or cousin who will be at the Ladies Aid and dial into a video call on their phone - that is, do whatever suits you to help you to be with us if you choose to.

We will be working from a phone hotspot, no broadband, so our fingers are crossed!

Much love,

Gayle

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Meeting ID: 654 809 2874

Gathering to Honor Billie, Her Siblings, and Their Spouses

Kyle  Gillis

Wilma (Billie) Sampson

Wilma (Billie) Sampson was born on August 1, 1919. As an adult, she was resolutely self-sufficient, profoundly capable, and active enough to earn the nickname “the energizer bunny.” She was frugal almost to a fault, except for things that really mattered. This included generous support for the education of her children and grandchildren and foreign travel indulgences. Retiring after 40 years as an elementary school teacher and librarian with the Seattle Public Schools, she embraced snow-birding from Seattle, WA to Mesa, AZ until she was 99 years old. Billie had a ridiculously high pain threshold and disdain for self-pity that made her seem indestructible. When she died on June 22, 2023, surrounded by her loving family, she was 40 days short of her 104th birthday.
In all her roles – a mom, grandma, great-grandma, teacher, and fiercely independent woman – she cultivated deep relationships and engaged intentionally. Billie engaged in politics and was always up-to-date on current events.  She was a talented seamstress, a gifted gardener, and a skilled card player.  A pragmatist to her core, she never wallowed in emotion or hardship. Her warm presence and countless acts of support left those around her without any doubt that they were loved and valued.  She set a wonderful example of a life well-lived and will forever be remembered for the myriad of inspiring life lessons she taught through her actions. Billie was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed.
Billie was born in Seattle to William Nicholson Turner and Alta Jensen Turner. She is survived by her children, Kyle (Greg) Gillis and Erick (Barbara) Merklinghaus; her grandchildren, Kristina (Erik) Soballe, Jennifer (George) Graham, Andrew Merklinghaus, and Allison Merklinghaus; and her great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Clara, Brayden, Natalie, and Mari. She is predeceased by her husbands, Fred Merklinghaus and Vernon Sampson, and her five siblings, Jean Davis, Bob Turner, Doris Cooke, June Dizard, and John Turner.
Donations to the PTA at John Rogers Elementary School, where she taught and her children attended, will continue Billie’s legacy of elevating education, especially for the young. Visit https://tinyurl.com/Donate4Billie, then use the pulldown menu to select "Wilma Sampson Memorial Fund."  Among other services, the funds will be used to support the library, provide teacher discretionary funds, and help families facing emergencies.
In lieu of services, we will honor Billie's extraordinary life at the family's annual picnic on Camano Island. Please contact her daughter Kyle, 425.750.4888, if you are interested in more information.

When words can’t fully express what we want to say, sometimes a small gift can. Visit our Memorial Store for personalised gifts, keepsake jewellery and to plant a memorial tree.

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Wilma (Billie) Sampson Obituary | Keeper Memorials