Blog 105 Another Loss

Billy Dube
passed last Saturday, February 15^th. I had a long chat with Henry Coy
(class of ’55), who provided some detail. Henry is in touch with Billy’s daughter. Ten minutes before Henry’s call, I was speaking with Sarah Yates
and commented that I needed to call Billy and see how he was doing. What a shock.

July, 2018 at a farewell lunch before moving to Idaho.

I had heard very recently that Billy was suffering health issues. Here is the gist of Henry’s update:

Billy was hospitalized some weeks back with a hip infection, and while hospitalized, had issues with oxygen levels. He was moved to a pulmonary hospital in Boise and was improving—even scheduled a hip replacement three weeks out. However, Billy had a stroke while hospitalized. He was undergoing surgery for a blood clot and had two more strokes while on the operating table and did not survive.

There will be a service in Boise and interment somewhere in Washington state, where he lived for many years. If further information becomes available, I will send it along.

Bettye Sue
is in poor condition and was moved to a memory care facility not too long ago. She has not been told of Billy’s death, given her condition, per Henry, who thinks that Billy’s daughter will watch after Bettye Sue.

Here are a few of my thoughts. I did not know Billy in high school, but I do recall that he had a reputation as a hotshot who thought very highly of himself. This is said not to be mean, because any number of fellow jocks have laughed and joked about his ego.

When Billy and Bettye Sue became engaged, some classmates advised Bettye Sue against the marriage, but Bettye Sue said that Billy had become “a fine Christian gentleman.” I will certainly agree with that comment, because as I came to know Billy in recent years, he was as nice as anyone could be, no sense of self-importance.

I asked Billy about being a caregiver for Bettye Sue, and I will share his reply. He told me he and his first wife were married for forty-two years. He said that been her caregiver as she recovered first from ovarian cancer, then from breast cancer, and finally from brain cancer, from which she did not recover. He said he was well-prepared to care for Betty Sue.

It is so sad to see the passing of another classmate, but the time is coming for all of us. Other memories of Billy are welcomed here.