Mr. John Albert Billingsley

John Albert Billingsley was born on August 13, 1925 to the union of Mea so Billingsley and Willie Mae Mack in Lexar, Arkansas. He received his formal education at Rosenwal Grammer School and graduated from Southland High School in Lexar, Arkansas. He accepted Christ as his Savior at an early age and was united with Zion Baptist Church in Lexar, Arkansas. John Albert Billingsley was united with Mae Bell Harringotn on March 29, 1952 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. John enlisted into the United States Army on October 27, 1943. He was honorably discharged on February 23, 1946. In the 1980's he had a special relationship with his neighbor, Peggy Williams. As he got older and his wife passed he asked Peggy to help with his care, she committed to his request in 2009 and got to know him on a different level, and the name "Papa" or "Papa John" came to be. Peggy experienced having a fathers love from John which she hadn't had for some time because her father passed when she was just five years old. He experienced having a daughter and son-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He never had that, and they loved him and treated him as if he were their own. He was employed by A.O. Smith Corporation as a Mechanist Assiatant for over thirty years and retired in 1983. In his leisure he enjoyed playing cards, traveling, watching westerns, talk shows, basketball, football, but baseball was his passion. He could listen to it on the radio or watch it on the TV. In the 1940's he played in the Negro Baseball League and often received fan mail. He played for Southland Sluggers, House Of David, Indianapolis Clowns and The Memphis Red Sox. John Albert Billingsley departed this life on May 17, 2015. He was preceded in death by his lovely wife, Mae Bell Billingsley; parents, Measo Billingsley and Will Mae Mack (Harris); and grandparents, Will and Eva Mack. He leaves to cherish his memory: special friends, Willie Williams, Sr., Willie Williams, Jr., Marcus Morgan, Natasha Williams, Joseph Williams, Jermaine Williams, De'Shaun, Gray, Ta'Shaun Gray and Kalah Cole; honorary daughter, Peggy Williams; great-grandchildren, Na'Kyia Gray and DeMarcus Morgan; close cousin, Pearl Bradley of Chicago, and a host of other loving family members and dear friends.

Mr. John Albert Billingsley

August 13, 1925 - May 17, 2015