Robert "Bevo" Billingsly

Bob “Bevo” Billingsly, 75, of Robinson, IL, died at 2:32 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at the Magnolia Center in Robinson, IL. He was born November 11, 1941 in Palestine, IL, the son of Casmol Vaughn Billingsly & Roberta (Stewart) Billingsly, both of whom preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Sara Y. Sunderman; by his nephew, Kent Sunderman; as well as a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins from the Stewart family. He married Mary Jo McKee on December 24, 1965, and she survives. He is also survived by his daughter, Heidi Y. Billingsly & Monty Coleman (Falls City, NE); by his sons, Matthew V. Billingsly (Vincennes, IN) and Michael A. Billingsly (Robinson, IL); by his grandchildren, M. Aaron Billingsly (Evansville, IN), M. Adam Billingsly (Evansville, IN), Caitlin Y. Cooper & fiancé Terry Handley (Falls City, NE); by his great-granddaughter, Calleigh Y. Handley (Falls City, NE); by his brother-in-law, Marvin Sunderman (Evansville, IN); as well as several nieces and nephews from the Stewart family. Bob was a 1959 graduate of Palestine High School. While there, he was a standout athlete, and was given the nickname “Bevo” after Bevo Francis, a dominant collegiate basketball player in the early 1950s. He was also an avid pool player, and was fortunate enough to learn from the local old-timers in his youth. He went on to serve his country in the U.S. Air Force, having been stationed in Tampa, FL and Rome, NY. Back home, he went to work on the Illinois Central Railroad for a time before moving to Marathon Oil, where he worked in several capacities for 30 years before retiring in 1998. Away from work, he was, by all accounts, a sports fanatic with a penchant for baseball. An outstanding pitcher in his youth, he tried out for the Philadelphia Phillies as a teenager, and continued to follow baseball for the rest of his life. His love of the sport brought him to coach numerous local baseball and softball teams through the years. Basketball was also near and dear to his heart, having watched his sons play all the way through college. He was an avid outdoorsman, and though he wasn’t particularly known for his patience, he could often be found fishing or bird hunting. In his retirement years, he spent countless hours visiting friends in Palestine, and was a near-permanent fixture on the bench in front of the Village Inn. Friends will remember Bob as a master joke-teller who could effortlessly make those around him roll with laughter. He was truly one-of-a-kind, and will be missed by all who knew him. Bob was very active in his community, and was a longtime member of the Robinson American Legion Post #69; a 50-year member of the Palestine Masonic Lodge #849; a member of the Danville Scottish Rite; a former member of the Robinson Elks Lodge #1188; and a charter member of the Othniel Looker Chapter of the SAR. In honor of Bevo’s love of history, and the pride he had in his hometown, a statue of Abraham Lincoln will be erected in his honor, commemorating Lincoln’s 1830 journey that found him traveling through Palestine. A time of visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday, August 21st at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Palestine. Masonic services will immediately follow and will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 22nd at the funeral home with Celebrant Curt Goodwine officiating. A graveside service will follow at the Palestine Cemetery, where military services will be conducted by the combined units of the Robinson V.F.W. Post #4549, American Legion Post #69, and Marine Corps League Det #546, and the Flat Rock American Legion Post #132. To help fund the granite monument of Abraham Lincoln that is to be erected on Main Street in Palestine in memory of Bevo, memorials may be made to “Bevo’s Lincoln Memorial Fund”, with envelopes available at the funeral home.