Billie Jo Lively August 29, 1936 – March 4, 2026 Billie Jo Lively age 89 of Faribault, MN passed away on March 4, 2026. She was born in Rosemount, MN to Martin and Agatha Lau. Her family moved to a farm in Farmington where she learned early to work hard and take care of those you love. She stayed on the farm helping her parents until she fell in love and married Melvin Lively. They bought a country home near her parents and her sisters Maralee Rother and Dorothy Sue Henderson as she was always very close with her family.  Billie Jo and Melvin were married for 53 years and raised 2 daughters, Loretta and Laureen, and their son, Bruce. She worked part-time while her children were growing up so she could always be there for whatever they needed.

She loved gardening and spent 40 years turning a stark country house into a beautiful oasis with a bridge, many trees, shrubs, and flowers that she adored.

Billie Jo was always a kind and caring person who offered unconditional help and support to those she loved. She enjoyed large family gatherings at her parents' home and at her home. These always included large bonfires and much laughter and food.  In her later years Billie Jo continued to be a hub for gatherings of friends at her senior living community and with a group who sang karaoke.  Some of these friends considered her their "adoptive" mother and all considered her an invaluable friend.

She loved to refinish furniture, and one of her favorites was a player piano. Her brother helped to restore the player mechanism and she loved to be surrounded by family to play, sing, and dance to over two hundred different rolls.

Billie Jo had always been a big fan of Elvis Presley and had every record he recorded. She had collected so much memorabilia that after her children grew, she had turned one of the rooms into an Elvis room. She was thrilled to become a grandmother to Angela and Christine and later Shelby. Billie Jo survived breast cancer twice. After the unexpected passing of her 47-year-old son, she was blessed with a great-granddaughter, Riley, and 2 great-grandsons, Jack and Cody. Eventually she realized that her beautiful home that she had put so much of herself into was too much for her to care for. She moved to Faribault to be close to her youngest daughter, 2 granddaughters, and her son-in-law's family that she had grown close to. She enjoyed celebrating with the Taylor family as much as they enjoyed celebrating her.

She spent the remainder of her days happily spending time with family, friends, singing karaoke, and enjoying gardening and Sunday dinners at her daughter's home where the player piano always filled her with happiness.

Billie Jo is preceded in death by her parents Martin C. Lau, Agatha K. (Ring) Lau, infant brother Martin, siblings Maralee (Clarence) Rother, Roxanne Wood, Dorothy Sue (Bob) Henderson and John (Susan) Lau. She is also preceded in death by her son Bruce Alan Lively and his husband William Randall Beard.  Billie Jo is survived by her siblings Laurence (Mary Gayle) Lau, Elizabeth Waldhaus and Marlin "Sonny" Guy (Noreen) Lau, daughters Laureen (Marc) Taylor and Loretta (Brian Blasjo) Lively as well as granddaughters Angela (Ben Holz) Taylor, Christine (Spencer) Stroth and Shelby Blasjo, great granddaughter Riley Stroth and great grandsons Jack Holz and Cody Holz.  Billie Jo is survived by many nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews as well as a multitude of friends.  Her "adoptive" son Todd Tutewohl holds a special place for being with her in her last moments.

Services will be held at White Funeral Home in Apple Valley, MN. 11:00 AM. Saturday  May 2, 2026 at White Funeral Home, 14560 Pennock Ave, Apple Valley, MN.  Visitation is 1 Hr prior to service at Funeral Home. Interment: Emmanuel Cemetery, Farmington, MN