Billie Jean Frans Hubbell, 43

Billie Jean Frans Hubbell, 43, passed away Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, at Saint Francis Hospice House in University Place, Wash., after an eight-year courageous battle with breast and bone cancer.

Billie was born Oct. 27, 1965, in Bonners Ferry to William and Grace Schuon Leidt.

She attended Mt. Hall Elementary School and Bonners Ferry High School, graduating in 1984.

While growing up, Billie was especially close friends with her niece Janice McUne.

Billie briefly attended Kinman Business College in Spokane, Wash., and Tacoma Community College in Washington.

She was a waitress and certified nurse aide until she met the love of her life, Jeff Hubbell, at the wedding of their mutual best friends, Luke and Angie Estabrooks.

Billie and Jeff were married on June 6, 1987, in a majestic redwood grove accessed by the Roaring Camp Railroad near Felton, Calif.

Billie and Jeff resided in Castro Valley, Calif., until shortly after the birth of their daughter, Megan Elizabeth, on Jan. 16, 1989.

Billie and Jeff moved to Tacoma, where they bought their first home, and Billie gave birth to their second daughter, Rachel Anne, on Sept. 28, 1991.

Shortly thereafter, they moved to Puyallup, Wash., and then to Roy, Wash., where Billie gave birth to their son, Jacob Daniel, on Oct. 5, 1998.

Billie dearly loved her children, and devoted most of her time to home-schooling them.

Billie loved the outdoors, animals of all kinds, sewing, hand-quilting and baking. She truly enjoyed the quite country life of her home and her acreage in Roy, where she cared for dogs, cats, horses, goats, duck, chickens and alpacas with the help of her children and husband.

Bille is survived by husband; children; mother Grace Leidt; sisters Debbie (Mel) Wood, Maryann Frans and Edith (Ron) Erickson; brother David Frans; aunt Irene Vandenberg; uncle George Schuon; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.

Billie was preceded in death by her dad, Roland Spurgeon, and grandparents, Clarence and Mary Schuon.

Memorial services and internment will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 21, at Grandview Cemetery.

Donations in memory of Billie can be made to the Franciscan Hospice House of University Place, or to the breast cancer research support organization Susan G. Komen for the Cure.