By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
After decades of service, Thomas More Prep-Marian Alumni Director Wanda Billinger is stepping away from her role.
The TMP-Marian Alumni Association will host a farewell reception honoring Billinger for her years of dedication to the TMP-Marian community from 1 to 6 p.m. on May 8 at the third-floor Cove, 1701 Hall St.
Billinger graduated from TMP in 1966 and has remained deeply involved in the school since, with both of her children also graduating from TMP. She did not attend college and married a year after graduating.
“I’ve always been involved and I will always love the school. I’ve been to all the games,” Billinger said. “I did a lot of the phone-a-thons that Jack Schramm used to do when he was the alumni director. I’ve always helped out with tickets at games. All that kind of stuff.”
Billinger said Schramm also asked her to help with the Auction for Christian Education before she joined the alumni board in 1988 and became alumni president in 1992. She balanced those responsibilities while working another job and said she enjoyed the work.
In 1995, Father Mike Scully called Billinger into his office.
“I laughed and said, ‘Father, I haven’t been summoned to the principal’s office for quite a few years. Am I in trouble for something?’” she said.
Scully offered her the role of alumni director. Although she initially hesitated because she had a full-time job, she chose to balance both roles. Billinger continued working full-time until about 10 years ago, when she shifted her focus solely to alumni work.
Billinger reported to TMP in the mornings before work. She said she couldn’t have done it without support from her alumni office staff, including Father Earl Befort, Kathy Kaseforth and Mary Lang. A major part of her role involved keeping alumni connected by maintaining up-to-date databases with addresses and phone numbers so classmates could stay in touch.
“I believe we have over 10,000 alumni that are in our database. We have alumni all over the country,” she said.
Billinger said alumni who recently attended the April Auction for Christian Education consisted of one working with NASA, a four-star general, lawyers, doctors and a governor. She said class reunions have remained strong over the years.
During her time at the school, Billinger received several honors, including the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Point of Light Award and the Jack Schramm Spirit Award.
“In 2024, they named a distinguished alumni award after me. It’s now considered the Wanda Billinger Distinguished Alumni Award,” Billinger said. “I feel so blessed that I’ve been able to work at a school that I truly love and am dedicated to. The meaning of Thomas More Prep means everything.”
Billinger said she will miss the camaraderie with alumni, students, staff and the broader TMP community the most after retirement. Although she is stepping down from her official role, she plans to remain connected through the sports scene and by attending games.
“I’ll always stay connected to the school. I’ll never be able to leave,” she said.
Billinger said she plans to spend more time with her children, who live out of town, more often and that she will never forget those she served with, and the friendships she made.
You can send Billinger your wishes to alumni@tmpmarian.org.