Billie Lee Orenbuch, 83, passed away on Monday, December 1, surrounded by her loving family.
Born and raised in Michigan, as a young teen, Billie Lee moved to Indiana, graduating from Carmel High School in 1959. Though rooted in the Midwest, she was guided by big dreams: to build a career in the burgeoning field of computers and to find her life partner in New York City.
She achieved both. In February 1965, while moving into her first New York apartment on the Upper West Side, she met Don Orenbuch. They fell in love quickly. By October of that year, they were married at the iconic Tavern on the Green in Central Park. They remained devoted to one another for 55 years until Don's passing in 2021.
Billie Lee's life was defined by a spirit of growth and reinvention. After starting their family with son Tim (born 1966) and daughter Evelyn (born 1968), the couple moved to East Windsor, NJ. Guided by a shared love of learning, they opened a Montessori school in 1972. Billie Lee successfully ran the school for five years while simultaneously commuting to Rutgers University, earning her degree in Psychology in 1976.
Following a brief relocation to Thousand Oaks, California, the family returned to the East Coast in early 1979, settling in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, which would become their home for over 35 years. While Billie Lee spent years working in Information Technology, she eventually sought a deeper sense of fulfillment. In a courageous pivot, she returned to school, earning her MSW from Widener University in 1995, embarking on a new career that became both meaningful and deeply rewarding. She joined Collaborative Care in Abington, where she worked as a clinical therapist. She touched the lives of countless individuals, couples, and families. Always questioning, reading and attending conferences she remained on the cutting edge of advances, early adopter of EMDR, DBT, Mindfulness and Positive Psychology. She was known for working long hours to satisfy the needs of and improve patients' lives. She was a mentor and friend to many other mental health providers who appreciated her deep insights, clinical learning, and her sense of humor.
Life in Philadelphia was rich with culture and connection. Billie Lee and Don attended the Philadelphia Folk Festivals for many years, were members of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Wilma Theater, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and were very early patrons of the People's Light and Theatre Company. However, their greatest social joy came from their participation in a monthly Friday night "sing." For decades, they joined a close-knit circle of friends and musicians who gathered to play and sing folk music. Billie Lee and Don always delighted in their turn to host the group.
In 2020, Billie Lee and Don moved to Georgia to be closer to their daughter. Following Don's passing, Billie Lee moved to Acworth, where she enjoyed the community and saltwater pool at Holbrook, and later to Arbor Terrace at Burnt Hickory.
Billie is predeceased by her husband, Donald Orenbuch. She is survived by her son, Tim Orenbuch, her daughter, Evelyn Orenbuch, and son-in-law, Stuart. She leaves behind a legacy of courage, lifelong learning, and a home that was always open to friends and family.
A celebration of life is planned for March in Philadelphia and online. Please contact Evelyn or Tim for more details.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Planned Parenthood, NPR, or the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
Born and raised in Michigan, as a young teen, Billie Lee moved to Indiana, graduating from Carmel High School in 1959. Though rooted in the Midwest, she was guided by big dreams: to build a career in the burgeoning field of computers and to find her life partner in New York City.
She achieved both. In February 1965, while moving into her first New York apartment on the Upper West Side, she met Don Orenbuch. They fell in love quickly. By October of that year, they were married at the iconic Tavern on the Green in Central Park. They remained devoted to one another for 55 years until Don's passing in 2021.
Billie Lee's life was defined by a spirit of growth and reinvention. After starting their family with son Tim (born 1966) and daughter Evelyn (born 1968), the couple moved to East Windsor, NJ. Guided by a shared love of learning, they opened a Montessori school in 1972. Billie Lee successfully ran the school for five years while simultaneously commuting to Rutgers University, earning her degree in Psychology in 1976.
Following a brief relocation to Thousand Oaks, California, the family returned to the East Coast in early 1979, settling in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, which would become their home for over 35 years. While Billie Lee spent years working in Information Technology, she eventually sought a deeper sense of fulfillment. In a courageous pivot, she returned to school, earning her MSW from Widener University in 1995, embarking on a new career that became both meaningful and deeply rewarding. She joined Collaborative Care in Abington, where she worked as a clinical therapist. She touched the lives of countless individuals, couples, and families. Always questioning, reading and attending conferences she remained on the cutting edge of advances, early adopter of EMDR, DBT, Mindfulness and Positive Psychology. She was known for working long hours to satisfy the needs of and improve patients' lives. She was a mentor and friend to many other mental health providers who appreciated her deep insights, clinical learning, and her sense of humor.
Life in Philadelphia was rich with culture and connection. Billie Lee and Don attended the Philadelphia Folk Festivals for many years, were members of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Wilma Theater, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and were very early patrons of the People's Light and Theatre Company. However, their greatest social joy came from their participation in a monthly Friday night "sing." For decades, they joined a close-knit circle of friends and musicians who gathered to play and sing folk music. Billie Lee and Don always delighted in their turn to host the group.
In 2020, Billie Lee and Don moved to Georgia to be closer to their daughter. Following Don's passing, Billie Lee moved to Acworth, where she enjoyed the community and saltwater pool at Holbrook, and later to Arbor Terrace at Burnt Hickory.
Billie is predeceased by her husband, Donald Orenbuch. She is survived by her son, Tim Orenbuch, her daughter, Evelyn Orenbuch, and son-in-law, Stuart. She leaves behind a legacy of courage, lifelong learning, and a home that was always open to friends and family.
A celebration of life is planned for March in Philadelphia and online. Please contact Evelyn or Tim for more details.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Planned Parenthood, NPR, or the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
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