Billi was the wife of actress Annette Bening's brother Bradley.
As a volunteer at the San Jose Children's Musical Theater, Billiana Bening preferred to be behind stage, tirelessly helping with costumes and sets. In life, that was her way, too, behind the scenes, never a showboat. But in her illness, Bening, still insisting on not calling attention to herself, showed her family and friends the star qualities of the supporting roles she's always chosen: a fierce resolve, a quiet courage, an unflagging determination, inspiring her sister-in-law, the actor Annette Bening. "The irony was that even though she had to suffer such a difficult disease, so much love came from it," said Annette Bening, who dedicated her recent Golden Globe Award to the woman known as "Billi".
Billiana Bening, after a two-year battle with kidney cancer, which spread to her brain, died Friday, Feb. 18th, at her home in Los Gatos, CA, age 59.
Bening is survived by a sister, Dina Daley of Sacramento; her husband, Bradley, a San Jose lawyer and brother of Annette Bening; and their two children, Ashley and Blake.
Bening, who was a librarian for the city of San Jose, was no stranger to illness before she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2001. She survived a bout with breast cancer in 1985 after radical mastectomy and chemotherapy. Bradley Bening said his wife endured treatments and operations so terrible "it would be impossible for me to overstate the level of suffering she went through." But almost always, she "did it with surrender, grace and dignity. She went from being this beautiful blond with a beautiful body to someone pumped with steroids and shriveled into nothing. She had her kidneys removed, and she couldn't see. But in the face of all that, when you asked her how she is, she'd say, 'Blessed.'"
A close friend said "If I were to write a letter to Billi, I'd thank her for what she taught me about courage, about selflessness. She had a quiet way of working in the world."
Bening also inspired Rick Sutherland, an accomplished race car driver. Bening urged him to enter the 2004 Le Mans in Europe, a 24-hour endurance team race. Bening had wanted to see her friend drive, but in the end she was too sick to travel. "I just remember thinking numerous times that the challenge of this race was nothing in comparison to what Billi faced every day. Her determination was really amazing."
Bening was born May 7, 1946, in New Orleans. When she was just 2 years old, her father died, and her mother moved back to Sacramento. After high school, she went to study in Hawaii, where she got her bachelor's and master's degrees in library science at the University of Hawaii. She moved back to California in 1981, and while working as a law librarian at the University of California-Davis, Bening met her husband. They married in 1982 and moved to San Jose, CA.
Services were held on Friday, Feb. 25th, at the First Congregational Church of San Jose (United Church of Christ). A reception followed at the Capital Club, San Jose.
As a volunteer at the San Jose Children's Musical Theater, Billiana Bening preferred to be behind stage, tirelessly helping with costumes and sets. In life, that was her way, too, behind the scenes, never a showboat. But in her illness, Bening, still insisting on not calling attention to herself, showed her family and friends the star qualities of the supporting roles she's always chosen: a fierce resolve, a quiet courage, an unflagging determination, inspiring her sister-in-law, the actor Annette Bening. "The irony was that even though she had to suffer such a difficult disease, so much love came from it," said Annette Bening, who dedicated her recent Golden Globe Award to the woman known as "Billi".
Billiana Bening, after a two-year battle with kidney cancer, which spread to her brain, died Friday, Feb. 18th, at her home in Los Gatos, CA, age 59.
Bening is survived by a sister, Dina Daley of Sacramento; her husband, Bradley, a San Jose lawyer and brother of Annette Bening; and their two children, Ashley and Blake.
Bening, who was a librarian for the city of San Jose, was no stranger to illness before she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2001. She survived a bout with breast cancer in 1985 after radical mastectomy and chemotherapy. Bradley Bening said his wife endured treatments and operations so terrible "it would be impossible for me to overstate the level of suffering she went through." But almost always, she "did it with surrender, grace and dignity. She went from being this beautiful blond with a beautiful body to someone pumped with steroids and shriveled into nothing. She had her kidneys removed, and she couldn't see. But in the face of all that, when you asked her how she is, she'd say, 'Blessed.'"
A close friend said "If I were to write a letter to Billi, I'd thank her for what she taught me about courage, about selflessness. She had a quiet way of working in the world."
Bening also inspired Rick Sutherland, an accomplished race car driver. Bening urged him to enter the 2004 Le Mans in Europe, a 24-hour endurance team race. Bening had wanted to see her friend drive, but in the end she was too sick to travel. "I just remember thinking numerous times that the challenge of this race was nothing in comparison to what Billi faced every day. Her determination was really amazing."
Bening was born May 7, 1946, in New Orleans. When she was just 2 years old, her father died, and her mother moved back to Sacramento. After high school, she went to study in Hawaii, where she got her bachelor's and master's degrees in library science at the University of Hawaii. She moved back to California in 1981, and while working as a law librarian at the University of California-Davis, Bening met her husband. They married in 1982 and moved to San Jose, CA.
Services were held on Friday, Feb. 25th, at the First Congregational Church of San Jose (United Church of Christ). A reception followed at the Capital Club, San Jose.
Billi was the wife of actress Annette Bening's brother Bradley.
As a volunteer at the San Jose Children's Musical Theater, Billiana Bening preferred to be behind stage, tirelessly helping with costumes and sets. In life, that was her way, too, behind the scenes, never a showboat. But in her illness, Bening, still insisting on not calling attention to herself, showed her family and friends the star qualities of the supporting roles she's always chosen: a fierce resolve, a quiet courage, an unflagging determination, inspiring her sister-in-law, the actor Annette Bening. "The irony was that even though she had to suffer such a difficult disease, so much love came from it," said Annette Bening, who dedicated her recent Golden Globe Award to the woman known as "Billi".
Billiana Bening, after a two-year battle with kidney cancer, which spread to her brain, died Friday, Feb. 18th, at her home in Los Gatos, CA, age 59.
Bening is survived by a sister, Dina Daley of Sacramento; her husband, Bradley, a San Jose lawyer and brother of Annette Bening; and their two children, Ashley and Blake.
Bening, who was a librarian for the city of San Jose, was no stranger to illness before she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2001. She survived a bout with breast cancer in 1985 after radical mastectomy and chemotherapy. Bradley Bening said his wife endured treatments and operations so terrible "it would be impossible for me to overstate the level of suffering she went through." But almost always, she "did it with surrender, grace and dignity. She went from being this beautiful blond with a beautiful body to someone pumped with steroids and shriveled into nothing. She had her kidneys removed, and she couldn't see. But in the face of all that, when you asked her how she is, she'd say, 'Blessed.'"
A close friend said "If I were to write a letter to Billi, I'd thank her for what she taught me about courage, about selflessness. She had a quiet way of working in the world."
Bening also inspired Rick Sutherland, an accomplished race car driver. Bening urged him to enter the 2004 Le Mans in Europe, a 24-hour endurance team race. Bening had wanted to see her friend drive, but in the end she was too sick to travel. "I just remember thinking numerous times that the challenge of this race was nothing in comparison to what Billi faced every day. Her determination was really amazing."
Bening was born May 7, 1946, in New Orleans. When she was just 2 years old, her father died, and her mother moved back to Sacramento. After high school, she went to study in Hawaii, where she got her bachelor's and master's degrees in library science at the University of Hawaii. She moved back to California in 1981, and while working as a law librarian at the University of California-Davis, Bening met her husband. They married in 1982 and moved to San Jose, CA.
Services were held on Friday, Feb. 25th, at the First Congregational Church of San Jose (United Church of Christ). A reception followed at the Capital Club, San Jose.
As a volunteer at the San Jose Children's Musical Theater, Billiana Bening preferred to be behind stage, tirelessly helping with costumes and sets. In life, that was her way, too, behind the scenes, never a showboat. But in her illness, Bening, still insisting on not calling attention to herself, showed her family and friends the star qualities of the supporting roles she's always chosen: a fierce resolve, a quiet courage, an unflagging determination, inspiring her sister-in-law, the actor Annette Bening. "The irony was that even though she had to suffer such a difficult disease, so much love came from it," said Annette Bening, who dedicated her recent Golden Globe Award to the woman known as "Billi".
Billiana Bening, after a two-year battle with kidney cancer, which spread to her brain, died Friday, Feb. 18th, at her home in Los Gatos, CA, age 59.
Bening is survived by a sister, Dina Daley of Sacramento; her husband, Bradley, a San Jose lawyer and brother of Annette Bening; and their two children, Ashley and Blake.
Bening, who was a librarian for the city of San Jose, was no stranger to illness before she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2001. She survived a bout with breast cancer in 1985 after radical mastectomy and chemotherapy. Bradley Bening said his wife endured treatments and operations so terrible "it would be impossible for me to overstate the level of suffering she went through." But almost always, she "did it with surrender, grace and dignity. She went from being this beautiful blond with a beautiful body to someone pumped with steroids and shriveled into nothing. She had her kidneys removed, and she couldn't see. But in the face of all that, when you asked her how she is, she'd say, 'Blessed.'"
A close friend said "If I were to write a letter to Billi, I'd thank her for what she taught me about courage, about selflessness. She had a quiet way of working in the world."
Bening also inspired Rick Sutherland, an accomplished race car driver. Bening urged him to enter the 2004 Le Mans in Europe, a 24-hour endurance team race. Bening had wanted to see her friend drive, but in the end she was too sick to travel. "I just remember thinking numerous times that the challenge of this race was nothing in comparison to what Billi faced every day. Her determination was really amazing."
Bening was born May 7, 1946, in New Orleans. When she was just 2 years old, her father died, and her mother moved back to Sacramento. After high school, she went to study in Hawaii, where she got her bachelor's and master's degrees in library science at the University of Hawaii. She moved back to California in 1981, and while working as a law librarian at the University of California-Davis, Bening met her husband. They married in 1982 and moved to San Jose, CA.
Services were held on Friday, Feb. 25th, at the First Congregational Church of San Jose (United Church of Christ). A reception followed at the Capital Club, San Jose.
