Robert G. Billings

Mr. Billings died Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003, at his home.

He was born Feb. 17, 1937, in Salina, the son of Alva and Margaretta (Smith) Billings. He graduated from Russell High School in 1955. He was named Kansas High School Basketball Player of the Year his senior year.

Mr. Billings graduated from Kansas University in 1959, where he majored in economics, business and political science. He was a Summerfield Scholar, member of Phi Beta Kappa and student body president in 1958. He was also president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He was a guard on the KU basketball team, playing on the 1957 team that made it to the NCAA Finals. He received All Big Eight Conference honorable mention as a Jayhawk guard in 1958 and the Forrest C. Allen Award, given to the senior KU athlete with the highest academic standing, in 1959.

He completed a year of graduate work in business administration at KU before becoming director of KU’s Aids and Awards office in 1960. He was also KU’s varsity golf coach from 1964 to 1970. In the mid-1960s he began working on the west Lawrence development Alvamar and became president of Alvamar Inc. He also developed Oread West Corporate and Research Park at 15th Street and Wakarusa Drive, was a founding member of Kansas International Development Assn. and served on many corporate boards, including American Investors Life Insurance, Kansas Public Service, Reuter Organ and University State Bank.

Mr. Billings’ honors at KU include a Distinguished Service Citation in 1988 and Ellsworth Medallion, the KU Alumni Association’s highest alumni honor for “unique and significant service to the university” in 1984. He served on KU Alumni Association board of directors, KU Athletic Corp. board, KU Endowment Association Board of Trustees and KU School of Business Advisory Board. He was also a member of Williams Educational Fund and KU Endowment Association’s Chancellor’s Club. He contributed to Spencer Museum of Art, Lied Center, Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics and founded Kansas Open Golf Tournament at Alvamar, which benefited Cottonwood Inc. and other service agencies.

His community service awards included Lawrence Business Person of the Year in 1984 from Baker University, Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas’ Kansan of the Year in 1989, Don Volker Award for community leadership from Leadership Lawrence class of 1989, 1998 Substantial Citizen Award from Lawrence Kiwanis Club and Citizen of the Years from Lawrence Chamber of Commerce in 2002. He received a Lifetime Achievement award from Lawrence Board of Realtors and served on the boards of Lawrence Memorial Hospital, LMH Endowment Assn., Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Lawrence, The Villages and Penn House. He helped organize the construction of a new home for Penn House and was also a former drive chairman for Lawrence United Fund.

Mr. Billings married Patricia Dawson on Aug. 2, 1959. She died June 1, 1975. He married Beverly A. Smith on May 30, 2001, in Lawrence. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include a brother, Richard A., Lakewood, Colo.

The family suggests memorials to Douglas County Community Foundation, LMH Endowment Assn., Plymouth Congregational Church or Williams Educational Fund at KU, sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

E-mail condolences may be sent to info@warrenmcelwain.com, subject: Billings.