Billie Dean Brem

Billie Dean Watson Brem, lovingly called Oma, passed away peacefully at the age of 86 on July 8, 2025.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday, July 14, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, 1401 Washington Avenue, Waco, by Rev. Joseph Geleney.  Burial will be at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.  Visitation will start at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 13, at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd, Waco, with a Rosary Service at 6 p.m.  A memorial video honoring her life will be shown at the visitation and also available at the bottom of this website.

Billie was born on July 26, 1938, in Corrigan, Texas to William Norwood Watson and Earl Dean Shields. She graduated from Waco High School, Class of 1956 and then attended Waco 4C College. Billie enjoyed working and being part of the community. Her favorite jobs included working at MHMR, doing title work at a home abstract company, bookkeeping for her husband’s church furniture company, and working as church secretary at St. Mary Church of the Assumption in Waco. In 2008, she and Ed received the Lumen Gentium Award for their work at St. Mary’s. Billie and Ed were instrumental in the revival of Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Waco, TX.

In 1957, she married Ed Brem of West at St. Martins in Tours, TX. She and Ed were married almost 67 years before his death in June of 2021. Billie was an avid genealogist. She enjoyed researching family roots for not only her family, but anyone that expressed interest in genealogy. Billie traveled extensively with a group of family and friends. Billie and Ed made a couple trips to Germany and met relatives discovered through her genealogy research. They hosted one distant cousin, Elli, through the foreign exchange program. Other relatives from Germany came to Texas to stay with Billie and Ed.

Billie was preceded in death by her parents; her father- and mother-in-law, Eddie and Pauline Kruse Brem; and her granddaughter, Mira Brem. Additionally, she was preceded in death by brothers-in-law, Elmer Brem, Ollie Brem, and Grover Rogers; sister-in-law, Barbara Brem; and uncle, Kenneth Harding.

She is survived by her sister, Sandra Rogers of Lorena; son, Edward Brem and wife, Cindy of Hewitt; daughter, Debora Brown and husband, Stan of Lorena; son, James Brem and wife, Karen of Hewitt; and son, Gary Brem and girlfriend, Cherie Hawkins of Melissa; grandchildren, Chris Brem and wife, Morgan, Aaron Brem and girlfriend, Katy Lynch, Trent Brown and wife, Kayla, Nicholas Brown, Megan Warren and husband, Sean, Nathan Brown and wife, Tascee, Kali Brem Gwin, Samantha Brem, Paisley Keith, Ethan Brem, Owen Brem and wife, Emily, Wiley Brem, Sarah Brem, Levi Brem, and Micah Brem; great-grandchildren, Cullen, Davy, Jack, Sloan, Lynn, and Laniee; aunt, Jeanine Harding of Eddy; brothers-in-law, Herbert Brem and wife, Edith, and Marvin Brem; and sisters-in-law, LaNell Brem and Debbie Brem. All of whom will carry her memory forward with love and warmth.

The grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

The family would like to extend special thanks to all the friends and family that have called and helped us through this challenging time. Special thanks to Rosemary Flores who helped mom daily during this difficult time.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Cross Cemetery or St. Mary’s Catholic Church of the Assumption, 1401 Washington Avenue,  Waco, Texas 76701.