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- Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home
ROCKLAND - A. Louise Billings, 88, died Friday, February 2, 2007 at Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport. Born in Rockland, June 2, 1918, she was one of five children of John B. and Margaret Thibedeau Moulaison. Educated in local schools, she was a 1936 graduate of Rockland High School.
August 16, 1937, she married Ralph F. Billings in Rockland.
The Billings made their first home in Rockland. For a brief time they lived on Vinalhaven where Mr. Billings worked as a lobsterman. Later they resided a few years in West Rockport before returning to Rockland where Mrs. Billings has since resided.
While raising her children, Mrs. Billings was active in their lives as a member and past president of the South School Parent Teachers Association. She also served as a Cub Scout Den Mother and volunteered with the 4H program.
In order to fulfill what she considered her primary vocation, mother and homemaker; in earlier years of her career, Mrs. Billings worked summers at local fish processing factories. She later served as crossing guard at South School and enjoyed dressing in costume for Halloween to the delight of all the students. For many years she also worked as a Fuller Brush sales representative. In 1964, she began employment at the Nissens Bakery Thrift Store in Rockland, where she worked more than 25 years. Even after her formal retirement in 1989, she continued working part time at that store. In her work, she always made customers feel welcome and was known by many as "Mrs. Nissen".
With a desire to help others, she was involved in many charitable fund raisers, including the American Cancer Society, Red Cross, March of Dimes, American Heart Association and also hosted many Card Parties as fund raisers for those causes.
A lifelong communicant of St. Bernard's Catholic Church, she was a past president and active member of that church's Daughters of St. Bernard and volunteered countless hours with St. Bernard's Soup Kitchen. She was a life member and past president of the Rockland Emblem Club and enjoyed traveling with that group to many of its National Conventions. She also enjoyed longtime memberships and friendships made through the Rockland Senior Citizens and West Rockport Home Extension. She was an active member of the Rockland High School (now Rockland District High School) Alumni Association and in that capacity required her children and grandchildren to also maintain memberships.
Mrs. Billings was an avid Bingo player and often traveled great distances to participate in that game. Travel was in fact one of her favorite ventures. Her daughter said that anytime anyone was ready to go, her mother would drop whatever she was doing to go with them. Her travels included going anywhere the Emblem Club went; trips to Foxwoods to play the slot machines; two trips to Alaska; two trips to the Caribbean; trips on the Mississippi River aboard the River Queen; trips to the Grand Canyon and Yellow Stone National Park. Her family fondly remembered that she loved people and parties. "If she couldn't go to one, she wanted to have one", her daughter said.
For many years, Mrs. Billings enjoyed a close friendship with Marion Salminen with whom she often traveled. When one of the two were sick or in need, the other was always there to help.
Pre-deceased by her husband December 15, 2003 and a son Randall "Tubba" Billings May 9, 2003, Mrs. Billings is survived by three sons, Russell Billings and his wife Barbara of Woolwich, Thomas Billings of Owls Head, Jack Billings and his companion Cynthia Goodnow of Rockland; two daughters Flavilla "Fay" Molloy and her husband Thomas, Charlotte A. Billings all of Rockland; ten grandchildren; several great-grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews.
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1918 - 2007 (88 years)
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