Billie McAnally

Born Billie Hargis in Many, LA March 15, 1928 to Luella Burkett Hargis and Goode Hargis. Graduated Fair Park High School in Shreveport, LA in 1945 and Centenary College in 1948 (pre-med). She then completed Medical School at LSU in 1952 followed by her residency in pediatrics at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX (1952 – 1953) and Children’s Medical Center (1953 – 1955). Later in life, she completed her Ph.D. and three-year residency in psychiatry at Southwestern Medical School.

Billie was married to Dwight H. McAnally in 1955 for 63 years. Dwight preceded her in death in 2019. She and Dwight had two wonderful daughters, Linda McAnally Miller of Midland, TX and Ginger McAnally Morgan of San Marcos, TX. She is also survived by her granddaughters Stephanie Miller Collum and Laura Jean Stanley. She has three great-grandchildren, Katie, Carrie and Koy Stanley. Her grandson, Jamie Dwight Miller, preceded her in death as did her great-grandson, Cole Stanley. Additionally, she has two great-great-grandchildren. Billie also had two sisters, “Sis” (Gwyn Harwell, deceased) and Bonnie Adcock.

She and Dwight retired in 1996 to Corrales, NM (a small artistic village on the outskirts of Albuquerque) where they spent the next 20 years exploring their artistic endeavors and enjoying the American Southwest culture. They traveled to many parts of the world together.

Over her life, Billie learned and played several musical instruments including the French horn, Indian drum and Celtic harp. Billie played the harp for pre-schoolers and hospice patients. She was also an accomplished visual and fiber artist including watercolor, pastel, needlepoint, and weaving. Billie was an avid gardener and voracious reader.

Billie moved back to Dallas to be near her youngest daughter, Ginger, and then moved with her to New Braunfels after Dwight died. She was able to spend her final year in Midland with Linda and Stephanie.

Billie’s religious legacy, in the words of Bart Ehrman, “Love this life as much as we can for as long as we can, to enjoy I to the utmost as far as possible, and to help others do the same. If all of us do that, we will live on after death – not so a personal consciousness as our brains have died, but in the lives of those we have touched.” From the Bible, her beliefs include God is Love, let us love one another, and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

This is thy hour O’Soul, thy free flight into the wordless.

Away from books, away from art, the day erased the lesson done.

Thee fully forth emerging, silent, gazing, pondering the themes thou lovest best.

Night, sleep, death and the stars.

-Walt Whitman

Remember Me, by Billie McAnally

I will be dying soon.

I don’t want to die.

I want to rage, rage at the close of day.

I don’t want to leave you. Yet, I will be free of the pain, worries and depression.

Remember me when you see the butterflies flying around, especially the monarchs.

Remember me when you hear the mockingbird sing his many songs.

Remember me when you see the mountains and all of the wonderful world.

Remember me and laugh when you look at my star and know that I am laughing, too.

I love all of you so much.

“My love will always be with you – in that way, I am still alive. When you see butterflies flying around, know that I am there.” – Billie McAnally

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