Billie L. Anderson

One year ago today, on April 17, 2021, Billie L. Anderson died at the age of 75. Those of us who loved her have still not adjusted to life without her. She lived and died with grace and dignity, and we are humbled by her example. Billie’s two adult children, Jill and Matt, are eternally grateful for the guidance, support, and unconditional love she gave them throughout her life.

Born Billie Kotsakis, she was raised in Walla Walla, Washington where she met and married Paul Anderson. In 1970, the two moved to Sausalito, California which quickly became their community, and the place Billie would call home for the rest of her life. It was where she raised her family and where she and Paul co-founded the Marin Scope Newspapers. As the owner of small, community newspapers, Billie took on many different responsibilities. One was writing obituaries and Paul described how much care Billie would put into each one, making sure every detail was correct and the person’s spirit properly memorialized. She was a talented writer and knew well what we only have recently learned: it is incredibly difficult to summarize a life in a page.

After she retired, Billie stayed active with her 5 grandchildren, Zoe, Taylor, Max, Rebecca, and Roman. She loved gardening and walking along the waterfront of Sausalito, always appreciating its natural beauty and happy to see the familiar faces of the community she loved. She was active in local civic organizations including the Sausalito Historical Society and the Sausalito Women’s Club and she volunteered as a tutor and mentor for kids. The happiness we felt in her presence and the sounds of her laughter can easily be recalled by all of us, and it provides a measure of comfort. We are lucky to be able to access those memories. Alzheimer’s disease impacts almost 6 million Americans and their loved ones and there is not yet a cure. To honor Billie and in lieu of flowers, plant something beautiful, add something positive to the life of a child, or offer support to a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

We are eternally grateful to Billie’s caregivers who enjoyed many dinners and Sausalito walks with Billie. We will all miss her forever.