Obituaries: Billie Maxine ‘Gram’ Bierly

Published 4:00 pm Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Billie Maxine “Gram” Bierly, 94, of Seaside, died Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, in Wheeler.

She was born Nov. 7, 1915, in Peoria, Ill., to Edgar Quigley Thawley and Lenore (Joss) Thawley.

Her father died before she was born. Her mother and stepfather raised her in Newport, R.I., Key West, Fla., and Nicaragua. When she was 15 years old, her mother died in a car accident, and she went to live with her older sisters.

She graduated from Peoria High School and the University of Texas.

In 1940, she married Kenneth Malcolm Bierly. He preceded her in death in 1958. The couple lived in New York City, Greenwich, Conn., and Springfield, Pa.

Mrs. Bierly worked for 10 years as a junior high school English teacher in Pennsylvania. She moved to Oregon, obtained a master’s degree in guidance, and began a new career as counselor and dean of students at Roosevelt Junior High School in Eugene. She retired in 1977, and moved to Seaside in 1980.

Family members said her hobbies included cooking, music and dancing, desserts and travel of any kind. She enjoyed spending time with her family.

She is survived by a daughter-in-law, Pam Bierly of Seaside; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth William Bierly; and a daughter, Kendall Ann Carroll.

There are no plans for a service at this time.

Hughes-Ransom Cremation & Mortuaries in Seaside is in charge of the arrangements.