Honoring those we've lost

Sarah Billings

April 3, 1949-September 28, 2022

By Monty Billings

Sarah Scott Moxley Billings, 73, passed away Wednesday, September 28th, 2022, at home in Naples, Florida, from the effects of Hurricane Ian and its storm surge. She was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, and a friend to many.

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 3, 1949, Sarah grew up there as well as Carmel, Indiana. She was a passionate horseback rider in her youth. She graduated from Tudor Hall School (now Park-Tudor School) in Indianapolis and went on to Garland Junior College in Boston (now Simmons University), earning an associate degree. She was a member of the Turquoise Trail Expedition at Cottonwood Gulch during the summers of 1964 and 1965.

Sarah’s husband, Thomas “Monty” Billings, Jr., was the Executive Director of Cottonwood Gulch from 1970 to 1995. Sarah and Monty were married in Naples, Florida on March 31, 1981, returning to Westfield, Indiana to live.

Henceforth Monty considered Sarah to be co-Executive Director of Cottonwood Gulch and hardly a letter or printer’s proof left the Cottonwood Gulch office without Sarah’s approval. In the summer of 1985 Sarah and Monty, along with young son Tommy, moved to Albuquerque, and daughter Carey was born in Gallup, New Mexico, that summer. After retiring from Cottonwood Gulch in 1995, Sarah and Monty moved to Naples, Florida in 2004, where Sarah’s family had a long history going back to 1904. There they spent much time relaxing on the beach and enjoying the warm weather together.

Sarah will be greatly missed for her generous heart, artistic mind, offbeat sense of humor, and the kindness she shared with anyone she met. Sarah will be buried in the family plot at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis in the spring of 2023.

Nita Larronde

Nita generously hosted Gulch treks on her property for over a decade. She was a vibrant pillar of the Gulch community; a guide, a teacher, a baker, a comfort and a joy to the many individuals who had the opportunity to meet and learn from her. We are forever grateful for the marvelous woman she was. She passed on January 3rd, 2023, surrounded by family.

Below is a log entry from a former trekker who visited Nina in 2012

MDT: July 5, 2012

Finally, MDT arrived at Nita’s house and all of our exhaustion from the drive was quickly cured by stepping into her home. Ensconced in fumes of baking pies, and the hominess of her couches and kitschy memorabilia covered walls, everyone relaxed. Some played the piano, some read, and some of us helped bake pies with Nita, the queen of piemaking. Krista caught a horny toad as we braved a thunderstorm. I know we aren’t supposed to mention food but props to Jordan for his homemade pickles and to Charlie for setting a record for pie eating. Also the rhubarb-ginger pie was the best, in my humble opinion.

We had a long comfy campfire in Nita’s living room, where Wagon Wheel was sung of course, and we practiced stuff for Rendezvous. Also, Walter was there. He has a talent for staring/smiling at people in the creepiest/best way possible.

-Nina Rebecca Katz

By: Marissa BluesteiN