Billie Norma (Savage) Fair, aged 98, passed away peacefully at her home in Chillicothe, Missouri, on August 30, 2023.
Billie was born on September 18, 1924, in Chillicothe, Missouri, to Edward Barlow Savage and Grace Gosnell Savage. She married William Leonard Fair on June 13, 1948, at the First Christian Church in Chillicothe.
A graduate of Chillicothe High School, Billie attended Chillicothe Business School and later graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia with a degree in education. She served in the Women’s Army Corps Medical Division from March 1945 to October 1946 and was stationed at O’Reilly General Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, until the war’s conclusion. In 1953, after her husband completed medical school, Billie and Leonard returned to Chillicothe with their three children (soon to be four) to practice medicine and establish their lives in a community they deeply cherished.
Billie was a member of the inaugural board of directors for the Chillicothe Area Arts Council in 1964. She was also a founding member of the Chillicothe Education Foundation in 1992. In 1970, she became the first woman to serve on the Chillicothe R-2 School District Board of Education.
Following Leonard’s retirement, the couple immersed themselves in various community causes. They tutored children, collaborated with Operation Help, and played a pivotal role in organizing The Grand River Audubon Chapter. Their shared passions included traveling, walking, and birdwatching.
Billie’s husband passed away in 2018. She was also predeceased by her son, Michael Leonard Fair; son-in-law, Jerome J. Caricchio; and daughter-in-law, Ginnie Gardner. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Fair of Chillicothe; son, Steven Fair of Columbia; daughter, Lynn Fair and husband Frank Fillo of Huntsville; granddaughter Adrienne Fair and husband Blaise Bourdais of San Francisco; grandson, Clayton Fair and wife Kerri of St. Louis; her brother-in-law, Paul Fair and wife Etta of New Iberia; and four great-grandchildren. Nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors will fondly remember her.
In accordance with Billie’s wishes, a private graveside service will be conducted. Later this fall, the community will be invited to a musical celebration in her honor. Memorial contributions can be directed to the Michael Fair Instrumental Music Scholarship and sent to Lindley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 47, Chillicothe, Missouri 64601. This scholarship aims to foster and sustain a lifelong appreciation for music in students.
