Billie May Conklin Markus, 79, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, with her loving family by her side.
Billie May was born on March 13, 1945, to Nellie Elmyra Cody Conklin and Harry Conklin Jr. in Los Angeles, California. By the time she was four or five months old, her parents were divorcing and upon the discharge of her father from the Army Air Corp. she accompanied her father to Walker, Minnesota. When she was three, her father married Beth Mary Bathen. She remained in their custody until she graduated from Walker High School in 1963. She then moved to La Puente, California to live with her mother. She attended and graduated from Southland Medical and Dental Assistants school. She worked as a medical assistant.
In November of 1964, she married Jimmy Markus and became a full-time mother to his daughter Janet Sue. Jimmy and Billie May were blessed with two more wonderful children, Michelle Renae in 1966 and John Harry in 1968. Upon the arrival of her children, she chose to stay a full-time mother. She was actively involved in her children’s schools and when they were at Lutheran High in LaVerne, California she served on the school board for several terms as the Lutheran High School Guild President where she helped manage three thrift shops that supported the school. She was a member of Hope Lutheran Church and was a member of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. In 1994, her husband was transferred by Hughes Aircraft to Tucson, AZ. They bought a home in Oro Valley where they resided for the next 28 years. They became members of Catalina Lutheran Church where she held offices in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League and Aid Association for Lutherans. She became president of the Welcome Wagon Club Northwest Tucson that had over 100 Ladies in it and served in multiple positions until their move to Prosser, WA in 2022 to be close to her son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
Billie is preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, stepparents, one brother Fred Conklin, three sisters Darlene Wells, Baleen Humiston, and Deborah Ann Eddings and stepdaughter Janet Sue Markus Whalen.
She is survived by her husband Jimmy Markus, daughter Michelle Renae Lambright (Steve) of Huntington Beach, CA, and son John Harry Markus (Samantha) of Prosser, WA. Grandchildren Karmina Elizabeth Bowen (Noah) and great grandson Banks John Bowen of Burbank, WA. Nicolette Leeanne Lambright (fiancé Nicholas) of Huntington Beach, CA, Kylie Jo Murphey and great grandson Clint Anders Carlson of Prosser. Johnna Alexandria Markus (Noah) of Hawaii, Nolan Markus Lambright of Huntington Beach, CA, Gracie Louise Murphey (Alec) of Prosser, WA, and Allie Carolina Murphey of Spokane, WA. One sister Beth Bauer (Matthew) of Knoxville, TN, two brothers Buster Harry Conklin (Sandy) of Oak Harbor, WA, and the Reverand Daniel Roy Eddings (Debra) of Pennsylvania and multiple nieces, nephews, cousins, and lots of friends.
A special thank you to the amazing staff at Prosser Memorial Hospital, Sun Terrace and Heartlinks Hospice for the wonderful care you provided to Billie May.
A viewing will be held on Friday, June 28 from 4:00-6:00pm at Prosser Funeral Home, 1220 Sheridan Ave, Prosser, WA. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 29 at 10:00am at Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 Luther Ln, Prosser, WA.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials can be given in Billie May’s memory to Messiah Lutheran Church Piano Fund or Parish Nurses Fund, Concordia University Teachers, Irvine, CA., Elizabeth Josel Wagner Endowment for Deaconess Studies Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Heartlinks Hospice, Grandview, WA.
“To My Cherished Family whether it be biological or blended, please know I love you all dearly.”
