In
the Maine Council of Churches drama, "Hear Our Stories! Know Our
Names!" Billy Woolverton told the story of his childhood in Texas. About
how, when he was 11, he came across a birth certificate and realized that he was
adopted. "I remember looking through a dresser drawer. You know, like kids
do. And I came across a birth certificate and a picture of a woman holding a
baby." Billy confronted his adoptive father and paid the price. To ask
about what happened to his mother, he soon learned, was to be assured you would
get a whipping.
Margie Sue, his mother, left her abusive home at 15 to marry a career
soldier, Billy’s father. Billy was born on March 21, 1955 followed the next
year in by his sister Julia Sue. By that time, the marriage was not working and
Margie Sue left. One day when she was at work and the children were in the care
of a babysitter, Billy’s father’s family came and took the children. Margie
Sue pleaded with her father to help her get them back but he said no. The family
who took the children did not allow her to see them. So Margie Sue grieved for
her lost children. As she said "I don’t think a man can understand what a
woman feels about a child she’s had. You just don’t ever forget a child. I
don’t care what happens." Every March 21, Margie Sue baked a birthday
cake, carefully putting in place the number of candles. Then she would sing
"happy birthday" to Billy, not knowing where he was or even if he was
still alive.
Meanwhile,
Billy was going to a private Christian school but his "bad behavior"
eventually got him sent to Texas Reformatory for Incorrigible Youth. A last
beating ended with Billy "taking away the switch and turning it on his
adopted father. "Then I left home." Was the way he told it in the
drama.
His years on the road led him all over the country. Twice, Margie Sue came
close to finding Billy but by the time she attempted to contact him, he had
moved on. Years passed, and Margie Sue had three more children: Kelly, John and
Shanna. Shanna wanted to help her mother find the brother she had only heard
about through stories and the annual birthday cake served on March 21st.
Equipped with a computer, she began searching the internet and lo and behold she
found a connection on the Maine Council of Churches website. There was also a
picture that she printed out and presented to her mother who said "that is
my son." There was little question about it; Billy looks just like his
mother.
On July 31, 2006, Shanna put in a call to the Maine Council of Churches.
Sandi Buzzell, Administrative Assistant, happened to be working late that day
and took the call. At first Sandi thought the young woman wanted to book a
performance of the drama. "No", Shanna explained, "I think Billy
is my brother". She went on to tell Sandi how her mother had never given up
hope of finding him and she was quite certain that the picture on the website
was him. Sandi told Shanna that Billy would be coming into the Council office
the next day to work on his poetry that he was submitting for a grant; she would
find out if Billy was her brother, and if he was, she would ask him to contact
his mother.
Before
she told Billy about her conversation with Shanna, Sandi wanted to be sure that
the Billy and Shanna could be brother and sister. She also wanted to be sure
that he would be open to receiving the news that his mother was alive and wanted
to reunite with him. Sandi found out that Billy had always wondered about his
mother and what happened to lead her to give him up for adoption. Throughout the
day Sandi asked questions, "Do you know your astrological sign? Where were
you born? Was your hair curly as a baby?" Sandi was almost 100% certain
Billy was Shanna’s brother. Later that afternoon Sandi gently asked Billy to
come to her office and sit down. She explained that a woman, named Shanna, had
called from Texas and thought she could be his sister. "I don’t have a
sister named Shanna", he insisted. "Is your mother’s name Margie
Sue?", she asked. Billy broke down. He had never told anyone his mother’s
name. Sandi tenderly told Billy that his mother had never given up trying to
find him, loves him, and wanted very much to speak with him. Sandi explained
that Shanna was his half-sister who found him through an internet search that
led her to the MCC website and the story about the drama. Sandi was relieved
that Billy was open to calling his mother.
The next few days the telephone lines between Texas and Maine were very busy
as they chatted and caught up with the missed years. In three days a huge
package came from Texas with boots, socks and other things Billy needed. There
were also drawings from his niece and nephew, Shanna’s children. Billy
explained that he wanted to remain in Maine until after the performance at Colby
College on November 27th. Margie Sue and Shanna wanted to come to
Maine to see the play and Maine Council of Churches began to think about staging
a special performance. The problem: Billy’s mother was on Social Security and
had just lost her trailer to Hurricane Rita. His sister, Shanna, was unable to
afford the trip since her husband had just lost his job. Attempts to finance
their trip to Maine were not successful. Finally at the end of August, Billy
decided it was time to go reunite with his mother and meet his new found family
in Texas. His mother was not in good health, it was getting cold, and life in a
tent was not enjoyable in cold weather. Trips back and forth to the soup kitchen
and the uncertainty of his safety as a homeless man, were wearing thin.
On
September 7, after a good-bye dinner with the cast, he boarded a plane to
Houston for a warm greeting with the family he did not know he had. Tears of
joy, hugs, and kisses greeted him as he was folded into their arms and lives.
But there was still a hole in the family; his sister, Julia Sue, who grew up as
his cousin, was still to be found. Shanna said, "We will not give up until
she is part of the family as well", and Margie Sue agreed.
Billy very much wanted to participate in the performance at Colby College on
November 27th. So, Dolores and Sandi made arrangements for him and
his mother to come to Maine so he could be a part of that first church and town
production. They stayed a week and Margie Sue had her first visit to Maine. The
cast and his friends warmly welcomed Billy. It was a very emotional evening at
Colby as Billy added to his part, telling how he had been found and introducing
his mother. Preble Street requested an extra performance for all their staff and
Billy’s friends. That happened on November 30. The next day, Billy and his
mother flew back to Texas.
Just before Christmas, Margie Sue had a telephone call: "Hello
Momma", was what she heard from her lost daughter, Julia Sue, and now her
family was complete. It was decided that the children would all get together for
the first time ever. They all went to Fort Worth where they stayed together in a
condo for a weekend of getting to know one another. Billy decided to move to the
home of his sister, Julia Sue, where he has a room of his own. She lives just
outside of Fort Worth on a 15 acre farm. He is able to devote time to his
writing – fending off the family cats.
But there is still one more mission to accomplish: getting permanent housing
for Margie Sue. She has been told the FEMA trailer she now lives in will be
taken away in March. She has continued to apply for one of the many permanent
FEMA trailers standing empty on the Gulf Coast. So far she has filled out 6
forms, some as long as 6 pages. She is determined to succeed in getting a home
for herself on her 2 ½ acres. Let’s pray that happens for this brave and
devoted woman we have come to know and admire.
Bill Nemitz wrote a piece about this remarkable story in the Portland Press
Herald for the November 24th issue. Unfortunately, it is no longer
available on-line.
A photographer from Silsbee, Texas, Mark Hancock has posted pictures of
Billy, Margie Sue, and Shanna on his website with links to other stories that
have been written: