Billye Jean Manning Otten
September 21, 1946 - October 26, 2024
Billye Jean Manning Otten, lovingly known as “Beebee” to her grandchildren, died peacefully at home with her family around her on 10/26/2024. The nickname Beebee was chosen for her by her beautiful granddaughter who could not pronounce what Mom had wanted to be called, which was inexplicably “Baba Billye”. Beebee was the perfect nickname. In our family we already used “Beebee” as short for the Arabic word “Habibi”, meaning my love or beloved. Habibi perfectly describes how this wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, and friend to many, was seen in the eyes of anyone who was lucky enough to know her. Even at the worst of times in the last year she always had a smile for everyone she encountered – she had an infectious smile. She was a truly kind person who loved deeply. She also knew how to have a good time and was game for almost anything, garnering her another nickname amongst the adults “Billye the Machine” for her late-night, sometimes margarita fueled, antics. She was fun, she loved a good joke and loved to tell/couldn’t resist telling a bad joke, affectionately called a “Billye Joke”.
Billye, the amateur comedian, was a professional artist primarily focused on abstract art using oils on canvas. If you were lucky enough to know her you almost certainly have at least one of her wonderful pieces on your wall. Billye was so dedicated to her art and education, that she went back to school later in life, ultimately obtaining her Bachelor of Fine Arts, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Houston in 1992 (28 years after she entered The University of North Texas as a Freshman). We were all so proud of her for going back to school and in awe of her persistence and dedication. She saw art and beauty in everything, but especially in nature. One simply needed to go on a walk outside with her to get a different and better perspective on the world around you – she encouraged everyone to slow down and take it all in. If you had a question about the type of tree, flower, bird, etc. you were looking at, chances were good that she had the answer, but if she didn’t know she would look it up. She always remained curious about the world around her.
Art was her calling, but she was first and foremost a mother and a grandmother. She was exceedingly proud of her children and grandchildren. She was not stingy with love or praise, and all of her children and grandchildren were fully aware of how proud she was of them – as was any stranger on the street.
Born Billye Jean Manning on 9/21/1946, in Taylor, Texas to Audrey Marie Williams Manning, she was the 7th of 8 children. Billye’s early years had her bouncing around Texas, from farm life to city life to a freshman at UNT. The biggest leap, the move from farm girl to world traveler, happened when Billye relocated to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia from 1976 – 1983 with her husband and 3 children. While living in Dhahran the family had the opportunity to travel the world. Asked recently what her favorite trip was she recounted tales from the multi-weeks long tour of Europe in a VW Vanagon camper and named Switzerland as her favorite destination. During her travels she embraced the beauty and diversity of the world and the people in it. From Saudi Arabia to Birmingham, Alabama, and many points in between, she has seen and experienced it all. From wonderful to sad she was able to convey her experiences in the art she created.
Although she and her 7 siblings scattered in different directions very early, they remained close, and oh boy could those siblings weave a tale and cook a good southern meal, usually at the same time. Their love of food and storytelling was definitely passed down. Billye was an exceptional cook, making extravagant and adventurous meals even before it was popular. She often expressed her love through food, she loved to make everyone their favorite dish, which with 3 picky children often meant cooking multiple different meals at the same time. This love for food was instilled in her family and continues to be one of the passions that brings them together.
If you knew Billye you would know firsthand how she treated everyone with love and respect. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, daughter, two sons, a sister, two brothers, three grandchildren and her cat Fritz all of whom she loved dearly and who loved her dearly. We will all miss her terribly and miss seeing that smile and those eyes full of love. We love you 10 o’clock