William Billie Friesen

Westbury High School and US Navy
Student / Rebel / Friend / Husband / Father / Veteran

This is not an obituary for my friend of the first half of my life.  Maybe someone else might more appropriately write that. Rather, having been informed of his passing five years ago by the In Memory section in the last reunion website, I became motivated to create this one after the previous site closed. I had wanted to say something about Billie there. However, the technology was not available under that configuration.

 After getting that announcement, I called and spoke with his wife, Chris, about his death from cancer. Then, I had recurring dreams about him over the years where we went through his illness together. With each ensuing sequence he declined in strength. I ensured that he was comforted when visiting. In the apparent final one six months ago, he sat upon a motorbike just above a small escarpment not more than thirty feet above me. The ground rising behind him was covered in perfect grass, trimmed like a fairway or even a putting green. Interestingly, neither of us had ever had that kind of conveyance, a bike with a motor on it. As I was looking up at him, he said "Skip, I came by one more time to say goodbye. I'm allright now. But I have to leave." We looked at each other for a long moment. We didn't smile, grimace or cry. Then, he raised his hand as if to wave, and I told him to be careful on that bike. He turned and rode up over the crest of the hill disappearing as he passed from my sight departing down the other side.

So while I am developing this program, I'm taking a moment to express my profound wonderment of this human being. He is the only person I've met who was a comparable comedian to Bob Hope, someone who made it on to my list of most appreciated people when I saw his 1965 Christmas Show at Chu Lai. Billie is there on that list, too. He was the funniest and constantly so person I've ever known. And he was naturally, albeit dangerously, perspicacious. But along with his sharp wit and exquisite timing for tearing someone, himself or something apart, but of course making us all laugh hysterically at the same time, or just in telling a gut wrenching laughter producing story in his style, he also provided me and his other friends with empathy and caring for mitigating difficult times.

He was a good man. His loss has affected me deeply. I truly expected of all people that he would go on forever. Meaning, I couldn't imagine someone with so much life not outliving me.

I look forward to telling and reading Billie Friesen stories. They were hilarious, as always was he.

With warmest regards for my friend,

Skip Collins