A lifelong resident of Echo, she was born to Portuguese immigrants, John and Estufania Correa, on Aug. 7, 1922, at their ranch next to the Umatilla River south of Echo. She was very proud of her Portuguese heritage and passed that pride on to her children and grandchildren. Estie went through all 12 grades at the public school in Echo, where she was an accomplished tennis player. Through her adult life she enjoyed gardening, following the Echo sports teams and watching all the political debates on TV. She swore this new breed of politicians would be the ruin of the country. She was on the Election Board, active with the Altar Society at St. Peter’s Church, the Echo Museum and Senior Citizen’s in Stanfield.
Estie married Curtis Billing on July 1, 1945 at St. Peter’s Church in Echo. Curt and Estie raised four children, Sharon Kirklin (Max), Scott Billing (Darlene), Sylvia Billing and Brenda Wright (Dwaine).
She is survived by her four children, sister Frances Chevés (Sam) and brother-in-law Clayton Norton. She was blessed with six grandchildren Brook, Jill, Anne, Jonathan, April and Charlene, eight great-grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis; her parents; sister, Clara Norton; brother, Jack Correa; and son-in-law Dwaine Wright.
There will be a Recitation of the Rosary on Wednesday, May 4 at 7 p.m. at Burns Mortuary and a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Angels in Hermiston on Thursday, May 5 at 10 a.m. followed by a graveside memorial at the Echo Cemetery. A meal will be provided for friends and family at Our Lady of Angels Parish Hall following the burial.
Donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Catholic Daughters of Our Lady of Angels or Vange John Memorial Hospice c/o Burns Mortuary in Hermiston, P.O. Box 289, Hermiston, OR 97838. Please visit the virtual guestbook at www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com to leave personal messages and stories for the family.
