JUSTICE BILLINGS DIES; FRIENDS MOURN LOSS TO MISSOURI SUPRME COURT

JEFFERSON CITY - Cape Girardeau County Circuit Judges Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. and A.J. Seier said Thursday that the death of Missouri Supreme Court Justice William H. Billings is a great loss to the state's judicial system.

A native of Kennett, Billings had been on the Supreme Court since October of 1982 and was scheduled to retire Aug. 21 when he would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.

"His death is a real loss," said Limbaugh. "He had a reputation for being pro law enforcement and conservative. He always had kind words to say about lawyers and judges from Southeast Missouri. He was the only judge to serve on the Supreme Court from Southeast Missouri within the last 20 years other than Jim Finch, from Cape Girardeau."

Seier said he was shocked to hear of Billings' death. "I always respected Judge Billings; it is quite a shock. I don't really know what to say except that he was a good judge and a fair judge. He had a lot of friends and never forgot his roots," said Seier.

"I think of him more as a man than a judge. He kept his ear to the ground and never deserted his friends."

Cape County Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep was a close friend of Billings and helped encourage another friend of his, former Gov. Christopher Bond, to appoint Billings to the Supreme Court.

"I felt like he would make an excellent member of the court. The man had tremendous common-sense qualities," said Huckstep. "He has done a good job and earned a lot of respect up there.

"I think it proved to be a good appointment and one that paid off well for the citizens of the state. I always enjoyed visiting with him in the capital and will certainly miss him. He was a very good friend."

Billings, who served from 1987 to 1989 as the court's chief justice, died at his Jefferson City home just after 1 p.m. Thursday as the result of complications from kidney failure and a lung disorder. He had been on sick leave from the seven-member court since January, but had been doing some work at home.

Billings was unable to join the court for oral arguments in January and this month. During his illness, substitute judges had been sitting with the court.

Limbaugh said Billings had been "courageous" in battling his illness. "It had been debilitating for him, but he continued to work the best he could, even when he was in a sick bed."

State Rep. Larry Thomason of Kennett said Billings always held the law "in the highest esteem. He had the greatest respect for the judiciary and his position. He always tried to bring respect to that kind of position, and obviously he did because that's why he ended up on the Supreme Court."

Thomason said he knew Billings for over 30 years and grew up with his sons. "Bill was the kind of lawyer and kind of judge that anybody who pursues that path would like to have been. Bill always had a sense of fairness and personified what I thought a judge was supposed to be."

In May of 1990, Billings was commencement speaker at Southeast Missouri State University. Two years before that, Billings served as sponsor of the Southeast Missouri Boy Scout Council Eagle Scout class.

Before his appointment to the Supreme Court, Billings had served nearly 10 years on the Southern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals, based in Springfield. He was chief judge there for four years.

From 1966 until his appeals-court appointment in January 1973, Billings was circuit judge for Dunklin and Stoddard counties. He had been in private law practice in the Missouri Bootheel since 1952. One of his law partners was Flake McHaney, who succeeded Billings as circuit judge and served until retiring last fall.

Billings also served from 1965 to 1974 as a member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. He received his law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

He is survived by his wife, Wilda, two sons and a daughter.

Billings was a highly decorated naval aviator and captain in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.

Chief Justice Charles B. Blackmar said Billings "served as a judge for approximately 25 years in circuit courts, the courts of appeals and the Missouri Supreme Court."

"He had a fine legal mind and was a very dedicated, hard-working judge and I think he served the state well," Blackmar said.

Gov. John Ashcroft's office said he was "saddened at Judge Billings' passing and he is grateful for the judge's commitment to strong judicial standards and his unwavering commitment to public service on behalf of all Missourians."

The court vacancy is to be filled like any other, using an appellate judicial commission that will solicit applications for the position, said Yolanda Murphy, an aide to the governor.

The commission is to recommend three nominees for the judgeship, and the governor is to select one. Ashcroft would have 60 days after receiving the nominations to appoint a judge.

Billings' office said a memorial service would be conducted at the Dunklin County Courthouse in Kennett on Aug. 21. The event had been originally scheduled to honor Billings for his judicial service and to present a portrait that is to be displayed in the courthouse.

The office said Billings donated his remains to the University of Missouri Medical School, and that his ashes are to be buried at a family cemetery plot in Kennett.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press.