Obituaries: Billings, Mansfield

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Ed Billings, 84, June 2 in Lampasas. After playing basketball and baseball at Wayland Baptist University, he had a high school coaching job lined up but was drafted by the U.S. Army before he could begin. Ed BillingsAfter leaving the military, he went to Baylor University and earned a master’s degree. He coached at Cisco Junior College one year before returning to coach at Wayland until 1962. After a year spent in Pakistan on a Fulbright Lecturer Grant, he entered the doctoral program of Indiana University. He returned to Wayland as athletic director, but in 1966, he began serving as the athletic director at Houston Baptist University, where he served until his retirement in 1990. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor at Wayland in 1994, and in 2007, he was inducted into the HBU Athletic Department’s Hall of Honor. He also was recognized as a recipient of Letterman Award in the HBU Walk of Honor. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, LaVaye; son, Duane; daughters, Renae Norwood, Sonii Nagel and Jenny Len Self; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

 

Paul Mansfield, 83, June 8 in San Angelo. paul mansfield130Paul MansfieldA layman, he was ordained as a deacon at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. Later, as a member of First Baptist Church in San Angelo, he created a ministry that provided sack lunches to families traveling through San Angelo on long-distance bus trips. He also was involved with the volunteer organization at Baptist Memorials Ministries in San Angelo. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sue; daughters, Jayne Mansfield, Jennifer Peal and Amy Babinski; sons, Rob and Paul Jr.; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

 


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