Faye Billingsley

Services to honor and celebrate the life of Faye Billingsley will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 16, 2021 at the 29th & Yale Church of Christ, Tulsa. Faye passed away on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 in Jenks. She was 92.

Melba Faye (Mallett) Billingsley was born August 15, 1928 to Elbert Mountie and Eva Cora Gordon Mallett. The Mallett family had deep roots in north-central Arkansas and the community where Faye was raised was actually called Mallet Town. It was there that Faye grew up on a farm and did her part helping with the chores. The tasks she most often talked about helping with were milking cows and hoeing and picking cotton.

Attending grade school in Springfield, Arkansas, Faye later attended schools in Morrilton, Arkansas. This is where she became a high school graduate. She furthered her education at Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee and then transferred to Abilene Christian. While at Freed-Hardeman, Faye had met a gentleman named Walter Billingsley. The two did not date at that time, but fast forward and both were attending Abilene Christian and Walter was on a mission to begin looking for a wife. He remembered Faye and thought she just might fit the bill. Those feelings were reciprocated as the couple dated most of the school year. They were married September 4, 1950 and celebrated 67 years together before Walter passed away in June of 2018.

Of utmost importance to Faye throughout her lifetime was her faith. As a child, she and her family attended a small congregation of the Church of Christ. A memorable event, Faye, along with her sister, Ruth, and their mother, were all baptized at the same time. This occurred when an evangelist came to the community to hold a meeting under the brush arbor. Marrying Walter and being a part of his life, in ministry, seemed to work quite well for Faye. She was very involved in each church they served in. Early on, she helped with children’s programs and later helped to teach Bible studies and Sunday school – even doing this at the age of 91! She had been a faithful member of the Crosstown Church of Christ, Downtown Bixby Church of Christ and 29th and Yale Church of Christ for many years.

When she had spare time, Faye could most likely be found reading, cooking, or attending her grandchildren’s activities. A wonderful hostess, Faye loved to cook for large gatherings and to entertain people in her home.

Generous, Godly, and a wonderful caregiver are words that help to describe Faye. She certainly put others needs and wants in front of her own and she was well-loved and will be deeply missed.

In her own words, Faye said she “loved the Lord.” She also said, “Her family brought her much joy and she looked forward to the holidays when they could all be together.” Also, she “mourned the death of her precious daughter, Karen, but looked forward to a heavenly reunion.”

Faye passed from this life on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 in Jenks. She was 92.

Preceded in death by: her parents, her daughter, Karen (who married Michael Oliver) and her husband, Walter.

Faye is survived by: her children: daughter Tina Brewington and husband, Glen; son, Brent Billingsley and wife, Suzie all of Tulsa; three granddaughters: Megan Walvoord and husband, Paul; Brenda Deal and husband, Philip; Wendy Hutchins and husband, Isaac; three great-grandchildren: William and Emma Walvoord and Caroline Hutchins; a sister, Ruth Hale; sister-in-law, Mary Billingsley along with several nieces and nephews.

For those who wish to honor Faye with a memorial donation, her family suggests those gifts be directed to one of the following: 29th & Yale Mission Fund, 2901 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa, OK 74114, www.29thandyale.com/contributions; Freed-Hardeman University, 158 East Main Street, Henderson, TN 38430, www.fhu.edu/giving; or to Bear Valley Bible Institute, 2707 S. Lamar Street, Denver, CO 80227, www.wetrainpreachers.com

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