Billye McLaughlin

Our beloved mother, Billye McLaughlin, passed away October 7, 2018, in Austin, Texas, at the age of 89.She was born April 22, 1929, to Elizabeth (Libby) and Marvin Saunders in Lubbock. She grew up in Amarillo, graduated from San Marcos Baptist Academy high school and attended Texas Tech where she met the love of her life. Ralph proposed to her atop Scenic Mountain, and they were married at the Methodist church and celebrated with a reception at the Settles Hotel on August 29th, 1948.As a young mother, Billye was President of the Jaycee-ettes in which time she helped start the volunteer program at Malone-Hogan hospital. She was president of both her Hyperion club and the Hyperion Council. She was a Girl Scout leader for 10 years, and chaired the district Girl Scout council for 2 years. She taught Sunday school and sang in the church choir. All this while raising four kids, being a perpetual room mom, hosting class Easter egg hunts, chaperoning Tri-Hi-Y trips and attending every sports event we ever played in.She worked as Saunders Company’s bookkeeper after we were in school and served as Chair of the American Supply Association Auxiliary in support of the family business.In her later years, she chaired the Centennial Belles for the Big Spring Centennial celebration in 1981. She was on the board of the YMCA and the Heritage Museum board. To the delight of the young students at St Mary’s Episcopal, she donned her sparkly gown and crowned her snowy white hair each year to become the fairy godmother at St Mary’s school.Billye was dedicated to her husband and his many business, church and civic endeavors, but played her own role in Rotary International as the driving force in creating RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership) camp for girls, writing the book “Enjoy Rotary” and speaking internationally at Rotary conventions.She was named Big Spring Chamber of Commerce “Woman of the Year” in 1988.In her star role as Mother Mac, she was dedicated to and adored by her grandkids. Once again, attending their events and ever-present in Jenni, Anna & Josh’s lives, driving to Austin for Jamie & Margot’s volleyball tournaments, taking Josh to Seattle for an international Rotary convention. She adored her first great-granddaughter Sophie and refused to leave Big Spring until she had arrived. She had a relationship with her 2nd granddaughter, Maya, that amazed all who observed it. Maya was at her bedside the day that Mother Mac left us, letting us know that she did not want her to die. But alas, Mom had somewhere else to be.She lived an amazing life that we would all be fortunate to have. We will miss her twinkling blue eyes, ready smile and quips.She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Ralph, and son-in-law, Bruce Cox, MD.She is survived by her daughters Sheryl Cox and Kae McLaughlin, Marianne Weidemann and husband Don, all of Austin, and son Scott McLaughlin and wife Mary Kay of Dallas; her grandchildren Josh Cox, Jenni Desormeaux and husband Lawrence, Anna Allman and husband Scott, Jamie Weidemann and Margot Weidemann; great-granddaughters Sophie Wegner, Devin Desormeaux and Maya Weidemann; sisters-in-law Ann Orr and Ramona McLaughlin, niece Marjorie Orr and nephews Kirk and Pete McLaughlin and Peyton Orr, and countless friends across the globe.The family wishes to express their appreciation to the community of Big Spring, where Billye and her family flourished among neighbors and friends, the loving church community of St. Mary’s Episcopal, the employees and customers of Saunders Company, and Rotary International. Mom loved every minute of her life in Big Spring.A memorial service and interment of ashes will be held at 10:00 AM,Thursday, October 25, 2018 at St. Mary's Episcopal, 1001 S. Goliad, Big Spring, Texas 79720Memorials can be made in her honor to the respite program “Mike’s Place” or to the Rotary Foundation.Mike’s Place is a program of Meals on Wheels Austin, 3227 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702 (make checks out to Meals on Wheels. Note ”Mike’s Place” in memo) or donate online at https://donate.mealsonwheelscentraltexas.org/give/72814/#!/donation/checkout (Note Mike’s Place in the comments.)Rotary Foundation @ https://www.rotary.org/en/donate.,