Notes for: William ("Billy") Warren Bodine
From Ronny Bodine (May 24, 2025):
Obituary, The Palisadian-Post (Pacific Palisades, CA) of 26 Oct 2023.
William Warren Bodine-known as Billy-was joyously received into his earthly realm by his parents, Beth Andersen and Bill Bodine, on February 9, 1986. He departed his body on September 27. He was 37 years old. Billy grew up in Pacific Palisades, romped in the waves and on the beaches of the ocean he loved, played t-ball, soccer and many years of Little League baseball coached by his dad and cheered by his mom in the bleachers. He also loved roller and ice skating, played roller hockey in Palisades leagues at the park and continued to play throughout his adult years. Billy was a gregarious and beautiful boy with glorious white-blond hair and an abundance of charm. In his neighborhood, his preschool and the local park, he made lifelong friends many of whom became chosen siblings for life. As a young child, Billy displayed a precocious talent as a pianist. Encouraged by his musician parents and frequent exposure to an eclectic community of artists, he developed a musicality well beyond his years. He worked as a studio singer on major film scores, including "Tarzan," "Babes in Toyland" and many television productions, and did a live concert with Barbra Streisand. He continued to compose, perform and record until the time of his death and left two projects in production, which will be completed by his bandmates. Billy was diagnosed at birth with a rare, uncurable genetic auto-immune disease. With the help of immunologists at UCLA, Billy's health was kept stable but threatened to worsen as he aged. An experimental treatment emerged when Billy was 11 years old. He was only the third such umbilical cord stem cell transplant in the U.S. and the procedure was a success. After a year of recovery, Billy had a future. He attended Village School, Harvard-Westlake School and Crossroads School where he joined the swim team. He studied music for four years at UC Irvine where he became a professional jazz pianist, played bass in a popular reggae band and was a sought-after professional DJ. He later attended culinary school and became an excellent chef. In recent years, Billy was pursuing a degree in psychology with a long-term goal of becoming a therapist. He was a compassionate soul with deep empathy for the plight of those experiencing homelessness. He couldn't stand to see someone shoeless, often returning home to retrieve a pair of his own to provide for one in need. Billy will be remembered for the affection he lavished on his family, his quick wit, his vast knowledge of minute details of film and music, his love of good food, his sweet smile and infectious laugh, his effortlessness on the keyboard, his love for his dogs, and his incredible courage. In addition to his parents, he is survived a large family of aunts, uncles and cousins. He also leaves countless friends and chosen family who have loved and will miss him dearly. A celebration of life will take place Sunday, November 5, at 2 p.m. at Parish of St. Matthew in Pacific Palisades.