Barry Billington of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away due to complications relating to the coronavirus on April 28, 2020. Barry was born on June 24, 1940 in Bruceton, Tennessee to parents Edith Virginia Bowles Billington and Charles Raymond Billington.
He is survived by his daughter Erin Billington Wolfe (husband T.J., daughters Madeleine and Olivia) and son Barry Earl Billington, Jr. “Beau” (wife Heidi Elizabeth Billington, daughters Caroline and Annabelle) as well as his brother Robert Wayne Billington (wife Beth and their adult children and families).
Barry was a graduate of Forest Park High School in 1958. A star football player, he was selected as an All State End for two years. He also received an appointment as a first alternate to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He spent two years in the U.S. Army prior to his college entrance. During this time, he served in the Military Police and was named soldier of the month two times.
Following his time in the Army, he went to Davidson College on a football scholarship and graduated from there in 1964. After Davidson, Barry attended Emory Law School where he graduated in 1968.
While in law school, he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award in Litigation and was on the Dean’s List. Barry passed the bar in both California and Georgia and then went on to practice family and criminal law in Georgia for over 30 years.
A staunch Republican, he was the director, and later chairman of the Fourth U.S. Congressional District Conservative Caucus, from 1977-1979. He made his first run for office in a 1978 state legislative race. In a highly Democratic district, Mr. Billington received 44% of the vote. He ran for the 4th Congressional District in 1980, the year his son Beau was born, but lost.
He loved his family, his faith in the Lord and his dog Rhett. He was also very thankful for his ex-wife Bonnie Billington (mother to Erin and Beau), dear brother Robert, sister-in-law Beth and closest friend Ken.
He loved music, loved to sing and play the guitar and was the most incredible story-teller. His health had deteriorated in the past few years and while we will miss him greatly, we take comfort he is now finally at peace.
In light of social distancing, a service in his honor will be observed at a later date.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on May 17, 2020