Billye was born in Terral, Jefferson Co., Oklahoma,to a couple whose other children were grown, so she was the sixth but only child. Growing up in the shadow of siblings "who were perfect" was not always easy. Each September as she entered school classes,the teachers would say "are you as smart as your brothers and sister"? Billye attended business school after high school graduation, but decided early that she was not secretarial material, so college seemed to fit the times. Early in college years she grew tired of answering to "Mr. Billy" so she added an "e" to her name to stand out as a girl at roll call. The University of Texas Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing was obtained in Galveston, Texas, then Austin gained another graduate! A full career in the medical field entitled Billye to a retirement. She and her husband spent the next fifteen years traveling and developing a hobby of genealogy.

OBITUARY
"Billye Vanderburg Schulle passed away peacefully after an extended illness on January 8, 2013 with her loving husband by her side.

Billye Vanderburg was born in Terral, Oklahoma in 1932 to Joseph and Minnie Howard Vanderburg. Her grade school and high school years were spent in the area where both her parents were early settlers of Choctaw Indian Territory before it became the State of Oklahoma. She graduaated from the University of Texas with a BS degree in Nursing.

In 1969 Billye married the love of her life, Ross Schulle. Billye was employed at Brackenridge Hospital for 28 years. During her employment one of the achievements she was most proud of was helping the hospital receive its national accreditation. After retirement, travel and genealogy were full-time hobbies for her and her beloved husband and their companion, Brandy.

She is survived by her loving husband and best friend, Ross. Also, she leaves behind lifelong friends, Betty Bell and Marge Brito, and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Billye had asked, that in her memory, you find a reason to laugh, or to perform a random act of kindness and courtesy.

Graveside services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 11, 2013 at Austin Memorial Park, 2800 Hancock Drive."

The following poem was read at the graveside service:
THE DASH
by Linda Ellis - copyright 1996
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone,
from the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own,
the cars...the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read,
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?


Billye's contributor page