BILLYE JEAN BELL,July 24, 1937 to March 3, 2006, passed away after a nine-year battle with breast cancer. She is survived by husband, Richard Bean of Houston, TX; daughter Kathryn Gomez-Flaming and her husband Daryl of Houston, TX; son Keith Hodge of Albuquerque, NM; son Trey Hodge and his life partner Ellen Alberts of Anchorage, AK; step-daughter Megan Bean-Harvey and her husband Ben, grandson Sebastian Harvey of Starkville, MS; brother Corky Bell and his wife Mary, and nieces Stephanie and Elizabeth of Spring Branch, TX; brother Rod Bell and wife Sue of Tampa, FL; her 2 Birman cats, Rommel and Rachmaninoff; and lastly, her Arabian horses Khate and Madona.

Billye's passion throughout her life was horses. She enjoyed competitive trail riding, horse drill teams, raising foals and any time spent seeing the world from a saddle.

She was renowned for her cooking and made the best green chili stew, tacos, brownies, spare ribs and cinnamon cookies.

She was a graduate of H.H. Arnold High School in Wiesbaden, Germany and attended Colorado State University.

After raising her children she graduated as the top student in her X-Ray Technologist class and continued her education to become a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer and earned her Bachelors from the University of New Mexico.

She traveled throughout East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America and the USA teaching advanced ultrasound techniques. She also traveled Europe and the Mediterranean in her adventures.

Billye's smile, humor and love will be missed by her family, many friends and past students. Billye's ashes will be spread on her beloved Hill Country ranch in a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers, she encouraged donations to the Rosebuds Breast Cancer Support Group, 3316 University, Houston, TX 77005-3354.