Mention Billie Ruth Bootsma and her high school friends chuckle,

giving only hints to the stories of mischief they’ll never tell.

“She had spunk,” says Michelle Simonski-Davis, who worked with Billie at a bakery during her junior year of high school.

“I don’t even know where to begin – she was so full of life,” says

Shannon Lethlean, who was best friends with Billie “from sixth grade

until we lost her.”

Billie Ruth Bootsma was born Dec. 12, 1960, and moved to Baker City in 1972 with her parents, John and Margaret, and sister Lanae, who was older by 18 months.

Billie’s childhood was filled with friends and riding horses on the family ranch.

“She taught me how to ride a horse,” Lethlean remembers. “She said, ‘Get on it and follow me.’ And she took off.”

Billie Ruth, it seems, had a strong personality.

“She had a mind of her own,” her mother, Margaret, says with a smile. “She was one of those personalities – you either loved her or hated her. But most people loved her.”

After her junior year at Baker High, in 1978, Billie Ruth transferred to Oregon Episcopal School in Portland as a boarding student. She enrolled as a junior to spend two years at the school.

The next summer, after coming home, she got sick.

“She came home, and wasn’t feeling well,” Margaret says. “She kept complaining about her back.”

Next came the doctor appointments.

“They diagnosed all sorts of things,” Margaret says.

In September of 1979, Billie Ruth returned to Oregon Episcopal for her senior year.

“Her pain wasn’t getting any better,” Margaret says.

She and John were on a road trip to California when the school nurse, Carol Farber, took Billie Ruth to a pediatric doctor.

“By the time my older daughter called me, we were on our way back to Portland, and by the time we got there, Billie had already had surgery,” Margaret says.

The doctor had discovered a tumor, but wasn’t sure what type of cancer it was because it had spread into soft tissue.

Billie was soon diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a bone cancer that usually occurs between the ages of 10 to 20, and strikes about one teenager in 50,000.

“Very rare at that time. They didn’t have any good treatment for it,” Margaret says.

Billie Ruth had two surgeries and chemotherapy treatments at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. She was one of the older patients in the pediatric unit.

“Billie had such a great personality – it was an adventure, and she made it that way,” Margaret says. “She knew everyone, and flirted with the doctors.”

When she learned that she’d lose her hair, she had it cut short. When the strands began falling out, she asked her mom to shave it off.

“We both cried,” Margaret says.

Billie Ruth refused to wear a wig, and instead wrapped her head in colorful scarves.

But nothing could hide her beauty.

“She was absolutely beautiful,” Simonski-Davis says.

Lethlean remembers one particular day when she went to visit Billie Ruth, and her friend “bounced down the stairs” with nothing covering her bald head.

“She said, ‘This is me. Get used to it.’ Then we played cards and ate Pringles with ketchup.”

Billie Ruth kept up her studies during that last year of school, and her family lived on hope.

“We thought we were over the hump – the tumor had shrunk,” Margaret says.

Then an X-ray showed a tumor in her lung.

“It had spread to her lungs. They did surgery, but there were already too many tumors,” Margaret says. “Probably nowadays it would be a whole different scenario.”

As hope began to dwindle, Billie Ruth asked her sister to set a date for her wedding.

“Billie asked if she’d get married before she died. She didn’t quite make it,” Margaret says.

Billie Ruth died Oct. 8, 1980.

“The funeral was one day. Lanae and Kerry got married the next day.”

Several years later, John Bootsma began talking to officials at St. Elizabeth Health Services about buying the old hospital on Fourth Street, which was vacant after the nursing home moved to a wing of the new hospital on Pocahontas Road.

That’s when the hospital asked about starting a fund in Billie Ruth’s name to help people with cancer.

“We said yes, of course,” Margaret says. “We’d always talked about doing something in Billie’s name.”

The Billie Ruth Bootsma Fund, established in July 1988, now provides financial assistance for women of all ages who are under-insured, or have no insurance, who need a mammogram.

In the past 12 months, the fund has provided 15 women with diagnostic mammograms.

Applications for help from the fund are available from Michelle Paoletti at the hospital, 523-6461.

The fund, by helping local women, honors the spirited young woman who died so young.

“If her sickness and death could help one person, that would have thrilled her,” Lethlean says.

This fund should, ideally, ensure that women can’t use financial problems as an excuse to put off a breast screening.

“There’s no excuse – we have this advanced technology, and we need to use it,” said Amy Dunkak, director of communications and business development at St. Elizabeth.

According to the Oregon State Cancer Registry, each year an average of 15 women in Baker County are diagnosed with breast cancer, and three local women die from the disease.

Different fundraisers to boost the Billie Ruth Bootsma Fund have been held over the years, and the newest project is designed to be an ongoing source of income.

Gail Duman came up with the idea to turn the second story of her store, Barbara Jeans, into a resale shop for high quality used clothing, with proceeds from sales going to the fund.

“I think it’s just marvelous,” Margaret says. “Billie would be so flattered.”

The Billie Ruth Bootsma Fund is a subcommittee of the St. Elizabeth Health Care Foundation, and this newest fundraiser is a partnership between the Foundation, the fund and Duman.

The board for the fund includes: Margaret Bootsma, Michelle Paoletti, Jo Hinrichsen, Marcy Haines, Sister Kay Marie Duncan, Cledith Vandenbos and Nancy Beuhler.

The resale shop works like this: donations should be “high quality, well made, upscale, classic, vintage gently used clothing for women sizes 2 to 18.” Also, “nearly new shoes and lightly loved accessories” will be accepted.

Donations – clean, pressed and on hangers – can be taken to Barbara Jeans from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The store is located at 1911 Main St.

Also, an event is planned for July 1 at the Heilner House Gardens, 1839 Second St., from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. This is a chance to bring donations and enjoy light appetizers and wine. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by calling 523-7778.

These charitable donations can be made to the St. Elizabeth Health Care Foundation (in care of Barbara Jeans) for up to $500 in value per year.