Robert “Bob” P. Billingsley, 93, died on Friday, January 22, 2021 in McKinney, Texas due to colon cancer. A devoted husband and father, Bob was born March 11, 1927 in Margate, New Jersey to Paul and Edna Billingsley, and grew up in New Jersey and Wilmington, Delaware. He graduated P.S. DuPont High School in 1945 and then successfully completed recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina. Bob was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marines Corps in 1946 following service in Hawaii and California during World War II.
Upon returning home, Bob enrolled in the University of Delaware. He graduated with a degree in economics in 1950. Bob was a proud member of ROTC and a founding member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He was called to active duty with the U.S. Army in 1950 where he served in a variety of positions in the U.S. and occupation duty in post-war West Germany.
Upon discharge from the Army, Bob worked for the Hercules Corporation before earning an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He later moved to Chicago, where he began working as a trust and probate officer for the Northern Trust Company in 1955. Bob retired from the Northern Trust in 1986 as a vice president following a highly successful career. Following a brief retirement, he worked for several years as senior vice president for WLD Enterprises, a family office in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Bob served with distinction on the board of directors of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company from 1977-1998 with three generations of the Wrigley family.
A strong believer in education, Bob earned a law degree from the Loyola University law school in Chicago, a master’s degree in taxation from DePaul and completed coursework towards his master’s degree in accounting.
Known as ‘Tub’ to family and friends, he was an avid tennis player at the Field Club in LaGrange, Illinois, Miami, Florida and in retirement in Englewood, Florida. Bob enjoyed creating betting pools around the Kentucky Derby and taught his children and grandchildren the joys of penny-ante poker with Red Dog. Invited to a party, he would call the host for the dress code and show up with an extra bag of ice. If a party ran late at his house, he would signal the end of the evening by changing into his bathrobe and then proclaim, ‘You may stay up to all hours of the night, but I am going to bed.’ Bob told humorous stories, loved his Canadian Club Manhattans and a big breakfast at local diners. A reliable friend, an ethical businessman and an excellent provider for his family, Tub will be missed, especially at the annual family trip to Duck, North Carolina.
He was preceded in death in 2015 by his loving wife of 54 years, Sally Billingsley. Bob is survived by their three children, Peter Billingsley (Wendy) of Asheville, North Carolina, Sara Belanger (Paul) of McKinney, Texas, and Matthew Billingsley (Kathryn) of Annandale, Virginia; and seven grandchildren, Ethan Billingsley and Alex Billingsley, Sarah Ann Harsch (Spencer), Kathryn Belanger, Lauren Belanger, Megan Billingsley, Molly Billingsley. He is also survived by his niece, Dr. Carolyn Mies, of San Francisco, California and great-granddaughter, Sadie Marie Harsch.
A private funeral mass will be held in McKinney, Texas and he will be interred at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Englewood, Florida alongside his wife.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his memory to the Semper Fi Fund, https://semperfifund.org/donate/.