Billie Marie Ferry was born in 1871 and died in 1984, dying just seven days shy of her 113th birthday. She was the youngest of seven and the only girl. She lived in the elegant Oak Alley plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, the sugarcane plantation that her father built. She loved watching Oak Alley thrive, as her brothers, nephews, and sons oversaw it. She was separated from her family in an orphanage, not reuniting with them until she was six years old. Billie had two marriages, five children with one dying at birth, and volunteered a lifetime of civic missions.She made friends with former slaves, went to college, worked at the Red Cross during both world wars, and watched as five generations of her family matured into upstanding members of society. Billie tells of her first car ride, struggling to make ends meet during the Depression, living through the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and finally succumbing to using a wheelchair at 102. Billie walked for women's rights in her youth and gave an address opposing abortion at the age of 110. When the end came, she was ready for it. Her story is about a legendary family led by a woman.First-time author Mary LeBreton Hammons, born Mary Alice Saint Mesme LeBreton, was born in Virginia and now resides in Texas. She became fascinated when she learned that her great uncle once lived at Oak Alley. She is the grandmother of five grandsons. Publisher's website: http://sbprabooks.com/MaryLeBretonHammons