Billie Clapper

Lucy, also known as Billie Clapper, was born in Wright, Kansas on March 11, 1924 to Oscar and Gertrude Vogel Wolf. She had eight sisters and one brother. Billie was a busy little gal all her life. When she was 12 yrs old, she helped take care of her Mother who had cancer and passed away when Billie was 14. When she was 15, she went to work as a nanny, and later, at the local hospital in the kitchen’s dietary department. At the age of 20, she met Paul Clapper and married in 1944. To this union, nine children were born; Terry, Chyrl, Paula, Jody, Chuck, Penny, Jerry, Tim and Chris. Her family grew to include 24 grandchildren, 37 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren. As the children were growing, she worked as a head cook at the Ramada Inn and loved to travel around to her neighbors selling Avon. Billie was active in her church at St. Charles, a member of Vona’s Worthwhile Home Demonstration Club for 50 years, involved with the Vona and Seibert activity bus, and served on the Vona City Council for many years. Billie’s favorites were family gatherings, visiting with her loyal friends, singing when nobody was listening, dancing with whomever she could, and holding her grandchildren and cooking for her family. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul, one grandchild and to great grandchildren.