Elsalene Miller Billman's Obituary
A Heart Felt Round the World
Elsalene (Elsa) Miller Billman was born in Abilene, Texas on July 13, 1929 to Acker C (A.C.) and Margaret Goodnight Miller. She passed after a spirited fight with COVID on January 12, 2021. She is now where she was born to be and we are broken-hearted and thrilled!
Elsa is survived by her three children: Frank Billman; Karen Billman-Powell (husband Greg); Brad Billman (wife Vicki); grandchildren Brett Billman (wife Chrisey) and Lauren Billman Iriarte (husband Will). Great grandchildren are Landry, Colson & Ellie Billman and Caroline Iriarte. Also surviving her are twin sister Clara Buckingham (husband Clay) and a huge wonderful group of nieces, nephews and greats! She is preceded in death by her parents and two brothers: Marden and Alister Miller and their spouses.
Elsa grew up in Belton, Texas with her 2 older brothers, Alister and Marden and identical twin sister, Clara Jean. When she was 12 years of age, the family moved to the Highland Park area of Dallas and attended Highland Park Middle School and High School. The move came as her father took a position with the Texas Baptist Convention. This appointment led to the national office of the Christian Life Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The family joined First Baptist Church of Dallas in 1941 with Dr. George W. Truett as pastor. Elsa’s heart and life became (and stayed) wrapped up in the heart and life of the church! Until her passing, she remained a joyful/consistent contributor, mentor, and Sunday School teacher for over 70 years (from Juniors, College and Career, young marrieds, and then middle-aged to mature women). BTW, we’re understanding she was so ‘faithful’ to leadership meetings, when a meeting scheduled a bit too close to a tennis match, Elsa would show up to church in full-battle tennis attire…until a bout with cancer ended this beloved passion!
Elsalene and Clara Jean attended (attacked!) life at Baylor University where they were members of the local sorority, Alpha Omega (later becoming the national Chi Omega chapter). You can’t break up a set and the twins ‘shared’ the title of Jr Class President at Baylor in 1948.
She met Levi Billman when he was fresh out of the US Navy in 1946. Levi was a handball enthusiast with a great laugh, twinkling eyes and a heart for the Lord….and Elsa! Levi knew he’d met his ‘Pearl of Great Price’ and, being nine years older, wisely stayed in the background and watched as she enjoyed campus life and ‘played the field’. They married May 3, 1952; six months before twin Clara married Clay Buckingham.
Her FUN: ‘Supper Club’ was a dinner and dominoes (42) group of 24 faithful couples from First Baptist Dallas formed immediately after college (approximately 70 years ago) – this group was radically focused on great food, fun, deep/abiding friendship …. and no kids allowed!!! The friendships became a life-long, solid foundation which seems to be ‘relocating’ yet still continues!
Her WORK/FUN: At the age of 58, when most people are looking forward to retirement, Elsa launched a whole new career with the Juice Plus+ Company. For the next 33 years she recruited and developed a large organization of representatives across the United States, achieving the top level of leadership and touching thousands of lives with her hallmark positive attitude and passion for excellence in everything she did. The secret to her success came down to one thing: Elsa loved her people deeply and gave her heart to them every day.
Her life verse was Philippians 1:20-21 – “…in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness… Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
These words were not only the pattern of her life, they were the very definition of who she was. Elsa lived a life focused on God in obedience, worship and praise. Her heart beat first for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – next for her husband, her family and closely followed by a multitude of wonderful, forever friends. If you happened to sit near her in the church service, she’d introduce herself by saying ‘Hi, I’m Elsa, what’s your name?’ and then ‘How can I pray for you?’ and she would!
Elsa loved fiercely, immersed deeply in the lives of others and made the determination years earlier that worry was not part of her game plan. Her desire was for everyone associated with her (or within the sound of her voice) to know and walk out this antidote for worry:
-
Believe God is able to handle your problem;
-
Desire for Him to be the One to handle your problem;
-
Go about your life acting as if He is already taking care of it.
Oswald Chambers was a favorite - in his book ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ Oswald states: ‘Joy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which you were created and born again.’ Elsa Billman saw this not only as a life purpose, but a daily one – attending thoroughly to the people and purpose God surrounded her with each day.
Mr. Chambers states that the real meaning of Eternal Life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering.
Clara remembers Elsa’s requesting of the Lord to show her how to hear what He wanted of her for the day – she determined to: stay available; empty herself of herself; and fill herself with the Holy Spirit daily, acknowledging the presence of God in self and the day. She then determined that whatever came into her heart and mind came from God so she trusted Him to give her His answers.
Jesus Christ is the Giver of Abundant Life – He was born of a Virgin, crucified by men to fulfill His Father’s plan and pay the penalty for all of our sins. He was raised to life three days later by the power of God and offers each of us the gifts of complete forgiveness (Grace) and Eternal life.
This is not the end of Elsa Billman’s race, she has simply passed the baton. Allow Elsa’s passing to be the Lord’s beginning of an abandoned, selfless, faithful life in Him – an abundant life with NO REGRETS!
Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13
What’s your fondest memory of Elsalene?
What’s a lesson you learned from Elsalene?
Share a story where Elsalene's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Elsalene you’ll never forget.
How did Elsalene make you smile?