Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister Linda Fay (Bennett) Langford defines “a life well lived”, cut short in a courageous battle against an aggressive form of multiple myeloma. She continued to amaze the medical staff at MD Anderson taking on each treatment regimen, each stick of the needle, week after week for three and half years – with not a complaint one and always with positive expectations. She would not, however, want her life to be defined by this disease.
In the opening page of her memoirs, Linda wrote of her life, “A life with my God, A life of love and family, A life of uncertainties, and A life of people that touched my heart. “
Linda was a proud BOI born August 22, 1951, at St. Mary’s Hospital. Linda wrote, “I lived in Galveston for the first 19 years of my life … we didn’t have much, but we didn’t know it.” To explain how “things were”: she and her family raised rabbits in the backyard, later to be butchered and sold at the local Piggly Wiggly and A&P grocery stores, to help make ends meet.
Linda graduated from Ball High School and went to work at UTMB, starting as a mail room clerk. She married Emmett M. Billiott and then spent the next two years stationed in Okinawa while Emmett served his country with the Army Corps of Engineers. Returning to Galveston, Linda rejoined UTMB in the Finance Department and remained there 32 years until her retirement.
Settling in LaMarque and later becoming a single mom of two rowdy boys was a challenge she took in stride, scolding them and loving them all at once. In 1990 Ivan came into her life with his own three boys in tow and they remained happily joined at the hip for the next 30 years until her passing.
“Meme,” as her grandchildren would later call her, found no greater joy than watching her sons play sports; she never missed a game. She enjoyed being active with them in both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, both as Den Leader and Committee member. When the boys played Little League, she ran the concession stand at Bobby Beach Stadium. And when grandchildren came along, well, there was nothing better than being involved in their activities too.
As described by her oldest granddaughter, “Meme is the glue that holds this family together.” And what a family she has. Since relocating back to Galveston County in 2012, Sunday dinner at Meme and Papa’s became a family ritual enjoyed by all. A daughter-in-law is reminded of her in words of Proverbs 3:15, “She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare to her.” She loved all the holidays, but none more than Christmas; lavishly decorating the house and yard capped the year for her.
Linda spent much of the last decade of her life dedicated to tracing her family’s ancestry. She created an entire library of family history and stories with over 14,000 family connections.
Linda passed away Sunday, May 3, 2020 at home with her loving family by her side. She is preceded in death by her parents, Delma Warren Bennett and Hallie Viola Hetzel. Linda is survived by siblings, Margaret J. Walters & husband Steve, Delma L. Arcidiacono, and Douglas E. Bennett & wife Renee; husband Ivan Langford III; sons Michael D. Billiott & wife Mandy, and Jeffery A. Billiott and wife Dana; and step-sons Christopher T. Langford and wife Aimee, Garrett J. Langford and wife Amanda, Joseph I. Langford and wife Samantha. And all her precious grandchildren Brittany, Dylan, Devyn, Taylor, Landen, Mason, Tommy, and Charlotte; and great-grandchildren Sophia, Ellie, Wesley, and Beau.
She and her family are particularly grateful for the excellent care she received at both UTMB, and MD Anderson; especially Dr. Bagi Jana and his care team as well as the wonderful staff in the MDA League City ATC Infusion Center.
A celebration of Linda’s life will be set at a later date after the Covid-19 pandemic has passed. In lieu of flowers and plants; and in honor of the many close friends she enjoyed at Women of Faith, Linda asked memorials in her name be sent to Faith Lutheran Church, 800 FM 517 East, Dickinson, TX 77539, or online at www.faithdickinson.org/contactdonate.