Billie Trombatore Young

I rented a studio & started teaching piano while we were in the 11th grade. Then I went to the St. Louis Institute of Music & got my teaching degree. Remember Wally Cox on TV as Mr. Peepers? One of my professors looked so much like him that they could have passed as identical twins. I married the wild hoodlum (according to Daddy) across the street, Lanny Young. Being the only daughter of a very strict Italian father, you can just imagine. It was 10 years before they even tolerated each other. I taught piano until our son was 2 years old, because he wanted to crawl up on the piano bench as well. My youngest student was 5 years old, & my oldest was an older school teacher.

I worked at Hobby Airport for Trans Texas, which later became Texas International, which later merged with Continental. I climbed the ladder of success from a vacation relief secretary to an Executive Secretary in the maintenance & electronics departments with an assistant & all the glamour & authority. But I laid it all down in '71 when I met Jesus & went home to be a full-time wife & mother.

I was a volunteer secretary for E. Leo Allen at Park Place Methodist Church for several years, Holly Hall Rep., taught youth & adult Sunday school classes there. I wrote songs & several poems over the years. The notes to my first book were on a paper the size of a business card. Once when Lanny & I were in a boat with his parents out in the middle of the water, the Lord was giving me another poem. I yelled, "Quick! I need some paper & a pen!" God has truly blessed me & all the praise goes to Him. I'd have to ask Him to slow down many a time because I didn't want to depend on my shorthand. Most all of that - as well as all of my journals - was destroyed in the July 26, 1979 flood Lanny & I went through in Alvin.

I lost all of my sheet music, photos & yearbooks in that flood as well. I'd so like to have them to pass on to our kids. For those of you who haven't gone through a flood & lost everything, rebuilding from the studs & refurnishing everything, you are truly blessed! 18 years of our married life's possessions hauled off to the dump. Did you know when a piano has been under water for 10 days, trying to get the keys to go down is like trying to mash on a table? The keys don't budge. Finally found an antique baby grand to replace my concert grand. A lady's husband had passed away & she sold me her piano & gave me her old sheet music. The Lord was so gracious. In that collection was Deep Purple (one of my favorites) & Daddy's favorite, the Blue Danube Waltz.

When Lanny won the National Go-Kart Championship & was in all of those magazines, I got a fortune cookie @ a Chinese restaurant that said, "Good things come to those who wait." I am hopeful that some day (perhaps through this blog) I will be able to replace some of the things I lost.

Lanny & I had service stations all over the southeast end of Houston plus one by NASA. We had 2 Gulf stations on Telephone Rd. while I was pregnant with our daughter. We've also had Texaco & Exxon stations. Our last Houston station was Sagemont Shell, where Beltway 8 now crosses.

I joined Women's Aglow Fellowship (which is a Christian women's inter-denominational, international organization) when Houston got its charter in '71/'72. Now it's called Aglow Int'l. & extends to about 170 nations of the world, or more, & they're celebrating 40 years of ministry. I've been priviledged to hold many positions in Aglow from hostess to secretary, treasurer, correspondence, praise & worship leader, president (in Marble Falls), Central Tx. area intercessor, and partner with Tx. state prayer coordinator. I have been the speaker & ministered at Aglow fellowships all over Tx. & other places, and the main speaker at different church women's retreats, asst. youth pastor for 4 years, still more volunteer secretarial work at church. I was the prayer coordinator for the Tx. Hill Country Jay Stracke Crusade a few years ago & led several prayer seminars for area churches. I did volunteer teaching for all grades at a Christian school here in Kingsland. My heart is prayer & intercession, bringing the needs of others before the Throne of Grace. I love to see Him show Himself Faithful & Strong on behalf of people. Guess that's why He made me a "hugger." He said those who believe in Him would lay hands on the sick & they would recover. So when I hug you, know that you're also being prayed for.

Our son & his wife have one daughter who is 19. Our daughter & her husband have a son who is 19, a daughter who will be 17 this month, & a daughter who will be 14 next month. "They" sure are getting old. I tell people I'll always "B" Young....that's my story & I'm stickin' to it.

Lanny designed & we built a 2 1/2 story house on Lake LBJ in Sunrise Beach in '80/'81. We had a Texaco station in Kingsland, sold it & now have a lube shop. When the kids got married it was too much house, so now we're in a one story. I miss those stairs & deer coming in the yard to graze & get a drink. Loved feeding them out of my hand.

We travel in our '77 GMC classic motorhome every chance we get. Hosted our first rally this past Jan. on Lake Buchanan at the Big Chief RV Resort. If y'all are ever in the area, stop on by. We may retire some day... maybe not.

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Comments

[Gladys M. (Payne) Bohac]

Hi Billie, loved reading your biography. You have truly been blessed. Isn't it wonderful to walk daily with the Lord. Hopefully, we will see you in 2010 for the BIG 50. Thanks for sharing your beautiful story.

Gladys Payne Bohac

[Charlotte Sills Faulkner]

Hello to a very dear friend. Sorry we lost contact so many years ago. I am still very close to Hilda Terry Thorne. My husband of 48 years and I just spent 2 weeks in Rogers, Arkansas visiting with Hilda and her husband of 47 years. They have a retirement home there because their son and his wife and 2 babies live in Springdale.

Our daughter Lisa is a Certified Wound Care Consultant and sees patients in nursing homes and also hospice patients. Her daughter Morgan who is 19 graduated a year ago and her son Jared will be a senior next year. I am so blessed to have a truly remarkable daughter and beautiful grandchildren.

We also went to Burnet in April to the Bluebonnet Festival. Didn't have your phone number or I would have called you.

Friends Forever ,

Charlotte

[Billie Young]

Charlotte,

It's great hearing from you. As you can tell by the date, I don't get on the blog very often.

When I read your note, my mind went back to the book you gave our son when he had his tonsils removed. Remember that? I think it was called, "Goodbye Tonsils."

Love on Lisa Dawn for me. What a calling she has on her life. Not everyone can do what she does. I always wanted to be a nurse, but when things gross you out & make you gag.....well, the piano & typewriter were a lot easier. Dunking that first cloth diaper in the toilet was bad enough! Need I say more? ha.

Hope to see you next year at our 50th Reunion. Stay healthy & safe out there. Hugs to all.

BJ