Billie June Fore Solesbee

Billie June Fore Solesbee, of Blowing Rock, NC, departed this earthly life and went home to Jesus on Monday, October 7, 2024. For her wonderful 94 years, her kind heart and sweet smile endeared her to a life well lived, a life well-loved and a life focused on what she cherished the most… her family. Born June 17, 1930, in Asheville, NC, where she lived the majority of her life, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Lucille Fore. Billie also was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Dewey Solesbee, and a sister, Betty Stroupe.
 
She is survived by a son, Tim Solesbee and wife Nancy of Blowing Rock; a granddaughter, Amanda Beebe and her husband, Jason, of Lenoir, NC; a grandson, Cody Solesbee and his wife Sophia and great-grandchildren, Lenore, Milo and Archer, of Hickory, NC; another son, Mike Solesbee, and his wife Maryann; granddaughter, Kelly Solesbee and great-grandson Roman, of Stokesdale, NC; grandson, Kevin and his wife Jessica and great-grandchildren Hunter, John and Anna, of Summerfield, NC; a brother, Paul Fore and his wife Wanda, of Sebring, FL, and another brother, Ray Fore and wife Millie, of Arden, NC; and a cherished childhood friend, Jeanette Thomas, who was like a sister to Billie.
 
Billie graduated from Oakley School in Asheville 1948 and worked as the bookkeeper at the Army/Navy store. That’s where she first met Dewey, one of the sales clerks on the floor. They were married on January 6, 1952. Billie spent next 18 years raising her two sons whom she cherished. Around 1972 she began her career of being a teacher’s assistant at Oakley Elementary School. It was her childhood dream to become a teacher one day and she did just that for 16 years working alongside her favorite teacher Barbara Edwards.
 
In her retirement years, Billie enjoyed being a homemaker, cooking, making flower arrangements, watching Hallmark Movies, traveling the world and vacationing with her family. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, attending their sporting and life events and proudly bragging on each of them. She could often be found cooking delicious meals including the family heirloom recipe for chicken and dumplings and her infamous tunnel of fudge cake and as the family matriarch, she always looked forward to spending time with all her family during reunions and holiday events.
 
The immediate family will gather for a private graveside service at Woodlawn Cemetery, in Oakley.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Billie’s name to Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 for the recovery efforts in her beloved mountains of Western North Carolina.

Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue is assisting the family.