Marjorie “Midge” McGranahan Billings, a Fremont resident for 33 years, passed peacefully on March 10, 2021, at her daughter, Kathy Fields’, home. Her children and numerous grand and great-grandkids were present in her last days.
Midge was born November 7, 1927, in Wheeling, West Virginia, the youngest of 9 children. She moved to Paso Robles, Ca, in 1948 and married Don Billings in 1949. They lived in Arcata, Ca. 1949-1963, where they had four children, John, Bob, Cherie, and Kathy. In 1963 they moved to Fremont, where all kids graduated from Washington High School.
In 1970, Midge started working as the bookkeeper in the family business, Billings Automotive Machine Shop. She worked there with Don and Cherie until they all retired in 1994. Don and Midge were very active in the Niles-Fremont Rotary Club and continued to be involved with Rotary clubs nationwide for years after retiring. They loved to travel North America in their motor home, often with relatives, friends, and various Rotary groups. They moved to Surprise, AZ in 1994 and were there until Don’s passing in 2016. Midge then returned to live in Niles with Kathy, who continues to teach at Centerville Junior High. In Midge’s later years, she would often spend a week for doctor’s visits with Cherie and Melinda in Walnut Creek.
Mom was thoroughly committed to her family and very active in supporting her children in school and sports. Mom made our home a gathering place for friends and family her whole life. She was opinionated and yet diplomatic, so that all felt welcome. Hosting social unique themed gatherings was a specialty. And if there was even a chance of being in costume, she was all in. At the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta on Halloween night, she made sure she and Dad would stand out, as they were the only ones out of 1000 attendees in costume. For decades, she was an enthusiastic fan of the A’s, Giants, D-Backs, and Warriors. And she could always be counted on to express her displeasure with Tom Brady.
Midge is survived by John & Yan Billings, Bob & Sue Billings, Cherie & Melinda Billings/Black, and Kathy Fields. She had five grandkids, Derek Billings, Allison Lambert (Billings) and Megan Wong (Fields), Jorie Fields-Hoyt & Keri Stinson (Fields). She also had eight great-grandkids.
Mom and Dad will be interred at Paso Robles Cemetery after a family gathering on May 15.
