Billie Jo Mickelson

BILLIE JO (HITCHCOCK) MICKELSON Billie Jo (Hitchcock) Mickelson, 83, passed away peacefully on Friday. December 19th, 2014. Billie was born April 1st, 1931 in Lancaster, California to Clarice Inez Welsh and Edwin Lorin Westover. She and her sister were adopted by George Albert (Bud) Hitchcock at an early age. In 1948 while at a dance near Huntington Beach, California, she met Keith Frame (Mike) Mickelson who was finishing up his U.S. Marine Corps service as a Drill Instructor near San Diego after serving on Guam after World War II. Billie and Mike married on Valentine's Day, February 14th 1948 in Yuma, Arizona. Billie became a resident of Chico in 1956, moving and settling as a member of the community with her husband and three small boys. She co-owned and managed The Nude Shop (an unfinished furniture store), later working at Kilpatrick's Toy Town, Terrace Pharmacy and Enloe Hospital. She was active in the community and supportive of youth sports, from her three sons' participation in baseball and football; to enjoying basketball and baseball games played by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor, was an avid reader, had a creative imagination, was a talented crafter, had a love for travel and enjoyed playing bingo and bunko until the very end of her full life. She was very supportive and patient of her husband's love of fishing and could clean a fish in a quick minute. Her canned trout became infamous in as faraway places as Portland, Oregon and Stockholm, Sweden. Billie was preceded in death by her husband of over 60 years, Keith (Mike) Mickelson, as well her sister Patricia (Beeton) Gagne and her parents. She is survived by her brother, Doug and her three sons: Steve Mickelson of Folsom, Dennis (Karen) Mickelson and Mike Mickelson of Chico. She was blessed with eight grandchildren: Lisa (Henrik) Åkerblom of Djursholm, Sweden; Brian (Rachel) Mickelson of Woodland; Amy (John) Beadle; Christopher (Tina) Mickelson; and Daniel Mickelson of Chico; Jennifer (Jim) Harris of Rocklin; Bridget (Tim) Hawkins of Ventura and Jessica Mickelson of Red Bluff. Billie had twelve great -grandchildren: Justin, Dylan, Anders, Wyatt, Jackson, Axel, Halle, Cooper, Holden, David, Elizabeth and Charlotte (with two more on the way). A casual, short and sweet service will be held at Brusie Funeral Home (626 Broadway in Chico) at 11:00 on Saturday, December 27th. There will be family and friends gathering after the service, with location to be announced. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity or Enloe Hospital (care of Brusie Funeral Home). Funeral Home