Obituary of Billie Kathleen Mahaney

Billie Kathleen Mahaney, a long-time resident of Santa Cruz, passed away peacefully on April 10, 2025. Daughter of the late William Houlton and Dymer Sjoden Benzie, Billie was born and raised in Onamia, Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. After graduation, she made her way to San Francisco to begin her nursing career. As a young nurse in San Francisco, she demonstrated her fierce independence, learned to drive a manual transmission on its infamous hilly streets, and enjoyed horseback rides on Ocean Beach. In San Francisco, Billie met the adventurous and persistent Dr. John Gage Mahaney. The couple married in 1956 and moved to Santa Cruz in 1960, where John established his medical practice. Billie and John raised four children together while Billie also supported John’s medical career and service on the Santa Cruz City Council. During this time, she also lovingly restored the 1886 Victorian in which she raised her family and transformed it into a Christmas wonderland at the holidays. Once the children were mostly grown, Billie worked as a registered nurse at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the UC Santa Cruz Health Center. Billie was an active member of the community, serving on multiple philanthropic boards and supporting charitable organizations. She had particular interests in music, history, and art. She was a gifted pianist and talented at many forms of arts and crafts, including painting, sewing, and knitting. Before she met John, she already was a daring traveler, including riding her bicycle through post-war Europe, and together they continued to travel the globe. She was a meticulous notetaker and chronicler, and her family continues to treasure her written stories. She also gifted her family with a love of walking along West Cliff Drive in a storm. Billie was independent, mischievous, and strong. She will be missed. Billie is survived by three children, Mark, Michael, and Erin, and grandchildren, whom she absolutely adored, Lauren Jaques, Houlton Mahaney, Conor Mahaney, Aoife Mahaney, Niall Mahaney, Colin Lauffer, and Linnea Lauffer. She is predeceased by her husband of nearly 60 years, John Gage Mahaney, and her son John Houlton Mahaney. Her family loved her dearly. A private committal will take place at Santa Cruz Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Billie’s memory to the Santa Cruz Symphony’s Music Education Programs: https://santacruzsymphony.org/makeadonation.