Agnes Cecelia “Billye” (Bean) McGaharn, 88, of California, Maryland passed away peacefully on Thursday 02 February 2023 in California, Maryland. Billye was born on Saturday 01 September 1934 to the late Joseph Quentin Bean and Margaret Velma “Madge” Wallace.
Billye graduated from Great Mills High School. Billye then attended Western Maryland College, now known as McDaniel College, where she received her bachelor’s degree in English. Billye went on to be a public-school teacher in the St. Mary’s County Public Schools system for seventeen (17) years. She also was an adjunct professor at the College of Southern Maryland, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, as well as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University throughout this time. Billye also taught English at a Department of Defense (DoD) school in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for a few years.
Billye changed careers and moved onto her next calling where she was the executive director of the Department of Aging in the St. Mary’s County Government for thirteen (13) years, founding and developing a system of programs for the county’s elderly. Following this experience, she began a career in the mental health profession working as a counselor from 1991 until 2003, ultimately founding the Billye McGaharn Psychotherapy Center, LLC where she continued to service patients until her retirement in 2015.
Billye enjoyed spending time with her family, and believed in continuous improvement, reading and watching videos to learn something new as a lifelong learner. Her claim to fame was meeting Mr. Richard Harris, the original actor that played Albus Dumbledore, while she was travelling in Ireland.
Billye was preceded in death by her father and mother, Joseph Quentin Bean and Margaret Velma “Madge” Wallace, her siblings: brothers – Joseph “Pank” Pilkerton, George “Buck” Pilkerton, James “Dink” Pilkerton, John “Blacky” Pilkerton and sisters – Elizabeth “Mazie” (Pilkerton) Jones, Mary Magdalene (Pilkerton) Mosher, and Margaret “Marg” (Bean) Archer. Billye was also preceded in death by her daughter Rebecca Lee (Gould) Pounds.
Billye is survived by her daughter, Lisa Ann (Gould) Stein (Dennis); her grandchildren: Katelynn Beavers, Lauren Gould, Leanna Pounds, Brandi Stein, Ashley Stein, Dustin Stein, and Cassidy Stein; her great-grandchild Roman Cromwell, and extended family.
All services will be private.
Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.
