Mary Louise (Miles) Ittel - "Billie"
Parents: Edward Henry Miles and Laverne Mildred Fraker
Sister Anne Laverne (Miles) Cassel
Husband: Maurice William Ittel
Children: Steven Dale Ittel and David Miles Ittel
Maurice, Steve, Billie and David at Camp Campbell Gard
Billie was born in Portland, Oregon, into a loving but rather tumultuous life. Her father from an upper-crust family was a salesman with a penchant for gambling beyond his means. She and her sister Anne lived in over twenty locations over a period of 20 years. She attended Pasadena Junior College, but finished her higher education at the Dayton (Ohio) Art Institute where she majored in commercial art. She was featured in their catalog at that time.
During her dating years, most of her beaus were the artistic type but her ability at tennis was what caught the eye of Maurice Ittel. A few rounds and it was love. They were married in Dayton Ohio and then took up residence in Hamilton, Ohio where they had their two sons, Steven and David.
While Maurice brought a sense of duty and dedication to the youth of southwestern Ohio, it was Billie who brought the conscience and love of the arts to the family life. Maurice taught self-reliance and responsibility for one's own actions. Billie was the one who made us think about the implications of segregation and race, and about the acceptance and understanding of the opinions, choices and situation of others.
She also brought art, music and culture to her family. Billie was an accomplished artist, working in water colors, pastels, charcoal, and oil. Her legacy of painting and drawing brightens many homes in Hamilton, Ohio and the homes of her family. She was active in art club, book club, and a bridge club. She saw to it that her children were exposed to Travel and Forum Series, concerts, and lecture series.
Billie died as a result of injuries sustained in the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Covington KY. Details of this fire and the resulting legal complications are the subject of the book, "Inside the Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire," by Ron Elliot, Turner Publishing, 1996.