Our loving and much loved Mother gently passed away April 15, 2013. Bea was born at home in Galvin, Wash., on June 3, 1918 to Walter and Ada Babb. Walter was from Kansas and Ada was born in Missouri. Bea's grandparents, Drusilla and Lee Gown originally arrived by boat from Ireland and settled in Galvin. Bea lived in Galvin until age 7. Her family moved to Centralia, Wash., where she lived until age 17. She attended two years at Chehalis High School and studied bookkeeping. She left school to help the family and worked at the Cannery in Centralia. Bea was a firm believer in education and in 1969 returned to South Puget Sound Community College to receive her GED Diploma. Mom came to Olympia in 1938. She met and fell in love with J.W. Hillis Jr. while a waitress at Bill's Cafe on 4th Ave., in Olympia in 1940. Mom's homemade strawberry milkshakes and tapioca pudding were famous in our family. Bea & J became engaged at the China Clipper on Bea's birthday 1940 and remained married for 59 years. J preceded her in death in 2000. They moved to Rochester in 1941 and operated a farm. It was not long until Hillis Farms was established and they began a egg wholesale business out of the back of their car by selling fresh eggs to Olympia residents. In 1945, Bea & J purchased a store in the middle of Rochester and they moved to a residence in town. The business partnership flourished with contracts at the military base and large grocery stores in Tacoma, Seattle and Grays Harbor. They sold the building in 1964, retired, and moved to the South Bay area of Olympia. During the 50s and 60s they raised and raced ThoroughBred Horses throughout Washington, California and Oregon. Bea loved her family with all her heart. Her children were the most important part of her life. She was blessed with five children in seven years. Brenda, (David) Rogers, Caroline Manger, Jay Hillis, Jerry McClure, Sherie (Larry) Dickerson. 10 grandchildren, Don Patterson, Steven & Daniel Manger, Aminda, Heather, Jordan Hillis, Kristine and Kathryn McClure, Dennis J. Crawford and Eric Dickerson. 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild coming in October. We are all blessed to have had such a talented smart industrious mother. Bea joined the Rochester Methodist Church and taught Sunday School for many years. She studied her Bible and the pages of that book were worn in many places. She served as the church treasurer and belonged to the Rochester PTA as an active member. Mom supported her children's many school activities with chili and spaghetti feeds and strawberry festivals at the local Rochester Grange. She helped her four daughters sell Girl Scout Cookies from the back of her car. Besides the family business Bea volunteered at the Rochester School Library, worked as a paid aid for the South Bay School and volunteered at Group Health. The family would like to thank Mom's caregivers over the past 3 years at Colonial Inn. Marion, Teresa and Zita. She loved you all and your friendships were so very important. We would like to thank Providence St. Peter Hospital. The Emergency Room, the 7th floor nurses, the Chaplin's, and the Palliative Care Team. Your help and guidance made this a loving and tender end to Mom's life. A viewing will be held Friday, April 19, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Newell-Hoerling's Mortuary in Centralia. A graveside service will be held Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 11:30 a.m., at the Grand Mound Cemetery in Rochester. Please no flowers, donations may be to St. Peter Hospital Hospice and Palliative Care.