Billi Jayne was born February 11, 1954 as the first child of Janet Marie Stowe and Edwin Randolph Johnson. Her parents later divorced and she was adopted by her mother’s second husband, a wonderful man who went by the name Jim Casey but had been born as Kenneth Langston (another story for another time). Although BJ was born and raised in the city of Portland Oregon, she always felt that she was a country girl at heart. After graduating from Concordia Lutheran High School, she learned that Bob Kuhlmann, a former classmate, was building a log cabin and working on his dad’s farm in rural Washington. She decided he was the one she was going to marry. Together they raised chickens, geese, turkeys, pigs, milk cows, and a small herd of beef cattle. Billi’s mother-in-law Dot Kuhlmann took her under her wing and taught Billi how to bake bread, can fruit, make butter and cheese, grow a garden, and butcher chickens.

Billi and Bob were married for 51 years and raised three daughters. After the birth of her first daughter, Billi began teaching lamaze which she did for nearly 12 years. In 1986 she began to work as a medical assistant focusing on women’s health for North Valley Family Medicine in Tonasket. Later when the clinic became part of Confluence Health, she worked with anticoagulant patients.

Billi was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Havillah where she taught Sunday school classes and vacation bible school and participated in LWML. For many years Billi was heavily involved with Camp Ortoha summer camps at Lost Lake. She was part of Mom’s In Touch and supported Young Life.

The Oregon Coast - specifically Lincoln City - was her favorite place to vacation with her family. She enjoyed car camping with Bob and the girls and the sons-in-law. She had the opportunity to travel with her children to the East Coast, London, Slovenia, and Venice. In retirement she and Bob traveled to the Grand Canyon, took an Alaskan cruise, and visited Hawaii.

After retiring in 2016, she enrolled at Wenatchee Valley College in Omak to finish off the few classes she needed to earn her Associate of Arts and Sciences degree at age 64.

She enjoyed playing and listening to music and reading and recommending books. She loved tending her garden. She liked to sew, can fruit, and bake. She was famous for her whole wheat and honey rolls which won a blue ribbon at the county fair. Other signature kitchen creations were her Holstein cupcakes, Billi-Bob Goulash, and Reuben dip.

Billi passed away quietly in the early hours of Saturday, June 20. She is preceded in death by her daughter Jillian and is survived by her husband Bob, daughters Jaima Kuhlmann and Caitlin Lewis, son-in-law Patrick, and grandson Declan.

Billi was a life-long supporter of Camp Ortoha and Young Life. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one or both of these organizations. Make checks to Immanuel Lutheran Church (1608 Havillah Rd, Tonasket WA 98855) and note either Camp Ortoha or Young Life in the memo line.

Billi’s daughters are organizing a celebration of life and bake-off in Billi’s honor to be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Havillah on August 22 at 10:30am. If you are so inclined, bring your signature baked good to share.