Jesse Dell Blackstone Billings was the first child of Benjamin & Laura Blackstone.
Jesse Dell Blackstone Billings
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Jesse Dell Blackstone Billings
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Jesse Dell Blackstone
by Bob Blackstone July 2005
Jessie Blackstone Billings -- she died in 1998 at 91 years old.
Jessie was the oldest of the family and she ran away and got married at 16 years old.
During World War II she entered the WAAC and was shipped to Panama Canal Zone where she worked in the Post Office for most of the war. Her husband, Willard, was in the tank core in Africa fighting the Germans. He won several medals for bravery.
In her retired years she would go to her Baptist Encampment Program. One summer she became friends with one of the women named Clyde Eikenburg. They teamed up playing dominoes and had lots of fun summer after summer and became very good friends. They would call each other during the year to visit over the phone. One summer while playing dominoes, Jessie mentioned that her brother and family was coming home from overseas and she was anxious to see them. Clyde said she had a niece coming from overseas also this summer. What a coincidence! Jessie mentioned the he lived in Saudi Arabia and Clyde said so did her niece and family. What another coincidence!! So Jessie said they might know each other, their names are Bob and Gay Nell Blackstone and Clyde about jumped out of her chair with surprise! That was her niece!!!!
They had been good friends for 4-5 years!!!
Jessie had one daughter, Marie Billings, and three grandchildren. Victoria, Texas
News Paper Article (WAAC stands for Women's Auxiliary Army Corps) VICTORIA GIRL MEMBER OF FOSTER WAAC DETACHMENT
Two Officers Arrive to Command Women Soldiers at Air Base Jessie Billings, who was born in Victoria and moved to Houston with her parents when she was two years old, returned to the scene of her birth last week as a leader with the WAACs at Foster Field. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Blackstone, Houston, Leader Billings, whose rank corresponds to that of sergeant, was a production manager in a Houston plant for the past 12 years. Others in the latest contingent are First Officer (Capt.) Jane R. McLaughlin, Kansas City, Mo.; Third Officer (2nd Lt.) June V. Balogh, Clarksburg, W. Va.; Leader Marion Pantzer, Brooklyn, N. Y. and the following auxiliaries: Imogene Jonogan, South Fork, Pa.; Eleanor Kronenkamp, Pittsburgh; Anoninette Semanick, Heidelberg, Pa; Anna Sullivan, Manchester, N. H. ; Hazel Higginson, Nashau, N. H. Anna Keyser, Philomene Lewandowski and Jean Paine, all of Baltimore, Md.; Helen Duggan, Quincy, Mass.; Linnie Reece, Dallas; Charlotte Baca, Las Vegas, N. Mex.; Sophie Bia, Canyon Dell Muerto, Ariz.; Iris Owen, Huntington, W. Va.; Emma Mitchell, Carmel, Maine, and Hattie Embray, Morgantown, Ky.
Jessie Blackstone Billings -- she died in 1998 at 91 years old.
Jessie was the oldest of the family and she ran away and got married at 16 years old.
During World War II she entered the WAAC and was shipped to Panama Canal Zone where she worked in the Post Office for most of the war. Her husband, Willard, was in the tank core in Africa fighting the Germans. He won several medals for bravery.
In her retired years she would go to her Baptist Encampment Program. One summer she became friends with one of the women named Clyde Eikenburg. They teamed up playing dominoes and had lots of fun summer after summer and became very good friends. They would call each other during the year to visit over the phone. One summer while playing dominoes, Jessie mentioned that her brother and family was coming home from overseas and she was anxious to see them. Clyde said she had a niece coming from overseas also this summer. What a coincidence! Jessie mentioned the he lived in Saudi Arabia and Clyde said so did her niece and family. What another coincidence!! So Jessie said they might know each other, their names are Bob and Gay Nell Blackstone and Clyde about jumped out of her chair with surprise! That was her niece!!!!
They had been good friends for 4-5 years!!!
Jessie had one daughter, Marie Billings, and three grandchildren. Victoria, Texas
News Paper Article (WAAC stands for Women's Auxiliary Army Corps) VICTORIA GIRL MEMBER OF FOSTER WAAC DETACHMENT
Two Officers Arrive to Command Women Soldiers at Air Base Jessie Billings, who was born in Victoria and moved to Houston with her parents when she was two years old, returned to the scene of her birth last week as a leader with the WAACs at Foster Field. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Blackstone, Houston, Leader Billings, whose rank corresponds to that of sergeant, was a production manager in a Houston plant for the past 12 years. Others in the latest contingent are First Officer (Capt.) Jane R. McLaughlin, Kansas City, Mo.; Third Officer (2nd Lt.) June V. Balogh, Clarksburg, W. Va.; Leader Marion Pantzer, Brooklyn, N. Y. and the following auxiliaries: Imogene Jonogan, South Fork, Pa.; Eleanor Kronenkamp, Pittsburgh; Anoninette Semanick, Heidelberg, Pa; Anna Sullivan, Manchester, N. H. ; Hazel Higginson, Nashau, N. H. Anna Keyser, Philomene Lewandowski and Jean Paine, all of Baltimore, Md.; Helen Duggan, Quincy, Mass.; Linnie Reece, Dallas; Charlotte Baca, Las Vegas, N. Mex.; Sophie Bia, Canyon Dell Muerto, Ariz.; Iris Owen, Huntington, W. Va.; Emma Mitchell, Carmel, Maine, and Hattie Embray, Morgantown, Ky.
