Birth:Dec. 24, 1942Death:
Philadelphia
Philadelphia County
Pennsylvania, USA
Jun. 10, 2011Wilberta Janet Stoeckle Usher, "Billie", age 68, passed away on Friday, June 10, 2011 at her home surrounded by family.
Wilmington
New Hanover County
North Carolina, USA
Billie Usher was known for being an outstanding wife, mother, nana, aunt, and friend to all that she met. She was a tremendously strong and loving woman who enjoyed every moment of life. Her legacy is rich with wonderful memories of spending time with her caring husband, taking care of her grandchildren during the summers, joking around with her children, and singing beautifully. She loved taking care of the neighborhood birds as well as sewing, quilting, and knitting. She was a devout Catholic who attended Saint Mark Catholic Church.
Billie was born on December 24th, 1942 to Wilbert Anthony Stoeckle Jr. and Marie Janet Stoeckle in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the first of three girls. Billie was born during WWII, and at that time her father was serving in the Aleutian Islands with the US Army Air Corps. The first time her father saw Billie was when she was 18 months old. Because Billie's mother Janet died when she was 10, Billie helped take care of her sisters and grandparents until she left home after graduating from High School in Levittown, PA as valedictorian. She married Howard Cooke Usher, Jr. on November 1st, 1974. Howard was an officer in the US Air Force and Billie was heavily involved with the Officer Wives Club. After moving to Wilmington, Billie started working as a bank teller with Planters National Bank in Hampstead, NC. After many years Billie retired from Centura Bank as the Operations Officer for Wilmington, NC.
Billie is survived by: her husband, Howard Cooke Usher, Jr. of Wilmington, NC; son, Richard Usher and his wife Anne and grandson Sailor of Kansas City, MO; daughter, Julie Murray and granddaughter Madison of Shreveport, LA; son Michael Schmidt and his wife Toni and grandson Mikol and granddaughter Lauren of Wilmington, NC; son, Jon Schmidt and his wife Shelia and grandson Nathan of Roanoke, VA; and son, Bill Usher and his wife Misty and grandsons Matthew and William and granddaughter Audrey of Arcadia, LA. Billie is also survived by: her sister, Susan Hecht and her husband Robert of Annapolis, MD; sister, Janet O'Keefe and her husband Mike and her niece Kasey of Levittown, PA; and her precious Yorkshire Terrier, Katie.
Billie's family will be available to receive guests during visitation at Andrews Mortuary on Market Street from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. A Funeral Mass will be conducted at St. Mark Catholic Church on Eastwood Road at 12:00 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011. The Rite of Committal will immediately follow the Funeral Mass at Oleander Memorial Gardens. A reception will be held at St. Mark Catholic Church following the Rite of Committal.
Billie's family would like to thank all of her supportive friends and neighbors as well as the caring staff of Duke University Hospital (especially the lung transplant team) and the Lower Cape Fear Hospice. The Duke Lung Transplant Team, along with the selfless gift of new lungs, gave us an additional three and a half years with Billie. Although Billie is no longer with us here on Earth and is greatly missed, we can be assured knowing that she is comfortable in Heaven with her Beloved Father. She will always be remembered and loved. It would be impossible to forget someone as compassionate, lively, and adoring as Billie.