Billie Jean Anderson

Our sweet Billie “Jean” Anderson, 95, of Eagle Point, Oregon sailed away peacefully on August 29, 2020 in Medford Oregon.  Our Mom was born in Inglewood, California on April 8, 1925 . She attended Newport Harbor High School and spent most of her young life during the Great Depression and WWII playing at the beach and helping her parents build 2 sailboats. The family lived for a time on the second sailboat “The Ingrid” in Newport Bay, and they were finally able to take it out after the war's end.  Their boat was berthed next to Humphrey Bogart's boat.  He was just starting to become acquainted with Lauren Bacall at that time, and they came to The Ingrid for a visit, where Jean hid in her room, embarrassed, because Lauren was awfully close to her own age.  Something she admitted to later regretting. 

In 1945, she met and married her first true love, Howard R. Thompson, while he was working on her father's yacht construction project.

 Jean and Howard chose to reside in Costa Mesa where they enjoyed an active life, and brought four children into the world.

In 1959 the family moved to Ashland, Oregon to accommodate Howard's business opportunities. Shortly after they arrived in Oregon, they moved into their new home on Bush Street, and a fifth child was born. The move provided Jean the opportunity to work with those she cherished dearly, children. She became a teaching and library assistant at Briscoe Elementary School, where she flourished until she retired in the early 1980’s.

Though Howard passed away in 1988, Jean was fortunate to find true love once again, and later married Carl Anderson, dancing into a new life together. Their love for each other, as well as their love of dance, kept them active and young at heart, for many years to follow. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, Howard, and granddaughter Joanna DeVine.

She is survived by husband Carl Anderson in Medford, Oregon, sister Ann Hruza in Tacoma, Washington, and her five children - Tom Thompson (Wendy)  Hope, Idaho, Jill DeVine Vancouver ,Washington, Jackie Burrell ( Mike) Eugene, Oregon , Peggie Grosh (Gary) Salem, Oregon, and Diane Aase (Steve ) Medford, Oregon; as well as eight  grandchildren, Vance, Ben, Brooke, Michael, Rachel, Christina, Allison and Jonathan, 20 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions there will be no public gathering at this time.  To leave an online condolence for family, please go to  www.perlfuneralhome.com .  Arrangements will be handled by Perl Funeral home 541-772-5488.