Donald R. Billings died Nov. 4, 2015, after suffering a severe stroke at the age of 84. His loving family was at his side.
Donald was the son of Rita (Introvigne) Billings and Raymond Billings Sr., the beloved husband of Nancy (Knight) Billings for 58 years, and the father of David Billings and Amy Billings.
Donald graduated from Oak Bluffs High School, and following a tour of duty in Korea, he worked for White Brother’s Construction Co. and Bergeron’s Garage. He attended Volkswagen school in Butler, Pa.
He later purchased the Western Auto business, which he ran for many years in Oak Bluffs with his dad, his son David, and Brion McGroarty. Later Amy joined David in what is now Cottage City Outdoor Power and Home Appliance Store on Circuit Avenue.
Donald spent some time in Maine in the early years, when Nancy was in school there. He contemplated taking over his father-in-law’s business in Skowhegan, selling and installing barn cleaners and milking machines. However, after spending several days repairing them on piles of frozen manure at -10° and -20° degrees, he announced that he would rather scallop the rest of his life! They came home that June to find the SSA boat strike in progress. But a friendly fisherman gave them a ride home on his boat, along with belongings, baby, dog, and canary. Everyone enjoyed a few weeks of unusually light summer traffic till the strike ended.
Donald was always active in his children’s lives and town activities. He was former president of the Oak Bluffs Business Association, served on the shellfish committee, and was a member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society. He was a eucharistic minister at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, and received the Marian Medal for his service. He was a member of the Oak Bluffs Fire Department for 40 years, serving as captain for the past 20. With his longtime friend Billy Norton, he acquired his fire company’s original 1929 Maxim fire engine and created the fire museum, with much help from many friends and caring people. He was very proud of that accomplishment.
Donald was happy to serve on the new fire station building committee and to protect his museum.
Donald is survived by his son David and daughter-in-law Anita, daughter Amy and her husband Chris Welch, grandchildren Jaime Lynn Schwab and her husband Jason, Samantha White Billings, Joshua Donald Billings, and Andrew Welch; also by his special granddaughters Keri Lynn Thomas and her husband Delmar, and daughter Corinna, Kara Best, and son Christian, nephew Michael Billings of Millis and Vineyard Haven, and Shirley and John Cooledge, sister- and brother-in-law of Naples, Fla. He leaves cousins in Connecticut, Maine, and Florida. He was predeceased by two beloved sons, Donald Jr. and Jonathan, and by his brother Raymond Billings Jr. and wife Doris.
Donald’s funeral was held at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, officiated by Fr. Michael Nagel, with a grand parade to the cemetery in the back of his beloved antique fire truck, accompanied by representation from all the Island fire departments and veterans.
Donations in his memory may be made to the (Town of Oak Bluffs) Fire Museum, P.O. Box 143, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, or as Mike Joyce recalled at the funeral, he would have liked you to “just do the right thing” always. Arrangements were under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.
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