M. Prudence Webb Billiu

Since 1960, I attended MSU with a semester at Mexico City College; graduated from Northwood University in 1992 BA in Business Admin.; becoming interested in holistic health and a massage therapists for 15 years.
Retired - not really! I retired from working in local school systems in 2003. First I worked in Grosse Pointe in Special Education and Learning Disabled; then at Macomb Community College as a coordinator for Adult Education classes in Holistic Health and Small Business Assn.; lastly at L'Anse Creuse Schools in English As A Second Language working mostly with Hispanic children. I babysat grandchildren, grandnephews and friends. who are all in school now....where does the time go! I truly feel blessed to have bonded and had a important part in these little ones lives. The oldest kids are now 12 and at Pierce Middle School.
For the past 3 years, I've held the position of Chaplain for Louisa St. Clair Daughters of the American Revolution. Our Chapter was the first organized in Detroit, MI in 1893 and forty-fourth admitted to the National Society. We are located in Grosse Pointe and are a service organization promoting preservation of history, education and love of country and home. This year we have honored Vietnam Veterans - 50 year anniversary. My sister Pris and I are attending the 125 NSDAR Continental Congress for a week in late June in Washington DC.
We are very blessed with family, friends and relatively good health. We are active members of G.P. Sail Club, Windjammers Cruising Club and St. Hubert Church. I can't believe where the years have gone!

In 1963, I married classmate Chuck Riley. We had 3 children, Dawn 1964, Dana 1965 & Todd 1969. Our family took a year cruise in 1977 aboard our 36' sailboat to the West Indies. The kids were 12, 11 & 8 and are avid sailors today.
In 1993, I married Charlie Billiu. Our combined kids number 7, grandkids 12, g-grandkids 12. We love to travel having taken lovely trips to England, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, etc. Following America Cup Campaigns, we've spent extended time in San Diego, San Francisco, New Zealand and Spain. A VW camper van allowed us to spend summers in Alaska and the Eastern Providences.
Daughter Dawn is a world class sailor, the first American to have raced on three America Cups and two Whitbread Around The World Races.
We like to bike ride, are fair weather sailors now aboard our Tartan 34' docked behind our home in Harrison Twp. Wintertime finds us walking snowy trails in Northern Michigan near Boyne City/Petoskey at daughter Dana's cabin and spending a month in Florida.
Dawn is a world class sailor, the first American to have raced on three America's Cups and two Whitbread Around The Wold Races. In 2009, she put together Oakcliff Sailing Center in Oyster Bay, NY, a one of a kind international high-performance training center for women and men who have progressed beyond traditional coaching. They train on the water, as n boat shop apprentices and front-office experience. Check them out at oakcliffsailing.org
Dana and John Hayes live in San Rafael. They both are active in big boat racing on San Francisco Bay. Dana is Manager of Operations for Oakland Parks and Recreation overseeing 140 parks, 66 ball fields, 44 tennis courts, 28 rec centers, 6 pools, a fitness center, water park, etc.
Son Todd and wife Tami live in G. P.. He works many hours in three companies. Tami has been very busy with Co-op preschool at Christ Church and will have a little time on her hands as Cooper starts kindergarden at Maire next fall. They have 3 kids - Emma 11, Jack 8 and Cooper 5. Todd races sailboats doing distance races on the coasts and Mackinac Races in the Great Lakes. As a family, they have a Mainship 34 to cruise to Georgian Bay.

I have wonderful memories of growing up in Grosse Pointe, good friends, parks for summer and winter fun and always Lake St. Clair. I remember the charter buses that lined G.P. Blvd. to take us spectators to away games and also spirited home games. A special thank you to all you athletes who were the Boarder City League Champs!!! I certainly appreciate the good education we received. Hey girlfriends, how about our couple parties,dances, sleepovers with Chef Boyardee Pizza mix (new at the time) big hair rollers and pillow fight, Elvis, Rock & Roll. FUN!!!
I cherish the special times spent with friends at Marilyn Taylor's summer home on Walloon Lake. Ten of us meet every few years to share memories, lives events and be a support for each other. These gals are the Golden Friends - Marilyn Taylor, Peggy Jeffs, Ann Mair, Karen Warmbold, Susie Hykes, Mary Hartz, Lanier Gray, Penny Distin and Dorothy Trefzer.

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