L ANETT — Evangelist Missionary Van Billingsley, 49, of Lanett, Ala. passed away on Sunday, September 30, 2018 at the Abilene Regional Hospital in Abilene, Texas.

Van was born in LaGrange, Ga. on April 13, 1969 to Alvin Richard Billingsley and the late Brenda Pearl Hill Billingsley.

Van attended and graduated from the Tabernacle Baptist Bible College & Seminary with a Bachelor’s degree in theology.  He was a missionary-evangelist working with small, struggling churches and church planters across America. He traveled the Midwest and the South, where he held tent revivals and vacation Bible schools proclaiming the story of Jesus.

Van had many passions and interests in life that made him unique in his own way.  He had a wonderful sense of humor, enjoyed life and was given a gift to help others.  Prior to his evangelism work, Van served his community in many different ways. He drove a school bus for many years and worked with children who had special needs in life.

Van was a very talented man who was blessed with many gifts.  He became a professional photographer working out of a studio, where he also had the Missions Church.  Van was also a “handyman” of sorts who could repair and build almost anything that was in need of repair or putting together.

In his spare time, Van loved to fish, enjoyed flying his remote controlled airplanes and helicopters, and he enjoyed HAM radio.  Van loved the holidays with Thanksgiving and Christmas being his favorite times of the year.

Van is survived by his wife, Angela B. Humphries Billingsley; his father, Alvin Richard Billingsley; sister, Sharon Billingsley Cowart and her husband, Chuck; brother, Rickey Billingsley and his wife, Darlene; mother and father-in-law, Alice O. Humphries and Ronald Edward Humphries, Sr.; brother-in-law, Ronald Edward Humphries, Sr.; sisters-in-law Crystal A. Humphries Weakley, Emily Grace Humphries Vestal; seven nieces and three nephews, and a host of extended family, church family, and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018 at 2 p.m. EDT at the Oakside Baptist Church, 1921 Hamilton Road, LaGrange, GA 30241.  The Reverends Tim Tidwell, Joe Arthur and Mike Ragland will officiate the service. Van’s family will be receiving friends Thursday evening from 6 p.m. EDT until 8 p.m. EDT at the Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home in Valley.

Please visit Van’s Memorial Tribute page at www.johnsonbrownservicefh.com to leave a condolence for his family, share a memory of Van, or to light a Remembrance Candle in his memory.

Johnson Brown-Service Funeral Home of Valley is directing.