Billy Davenport

On Friday, August 7, 2020, William (Billy) Davenport, loving husband and father of five children, went home to be with the Lord at the age of 82.

Billy was born in Sheffield, AL to Edward and Irene Davenport on May 31, 1938. He went to Hazelwood High School where he met his wife of 64 years, Mary Alice Lansdell, and then joined the United States Air Force in 1955. Billy and Mary would marry a year later on May 20, 1956. He went on to earn a degree in Theology and Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. He worked as a general contractor for over 60 years and was a very skilled craftsman of his trade. He would work from sun-up till “can’t thirty” often only taking a small five-minute break and joking that the break was your lunch time and now you needed to get back to work! If you ever had the opportunity to work along side of him, you know what a blessing, and frustration, it could be all at the same time!

He served the Lord in different church ministries for over 60 years, and had a love for music. Many lives were impacted by his faithful service throughout the years. He was an active and faithful member of Joshua Baptist Church for 30 plus years where he led the choir and was a deacon, serving the Lord in many different areas. He could be found on any given day at the church fixing, building, remodeling, or drawing something out to be built. He was there to be a witness for the Lord, a teacher of his trade, and very often, studying his Bible to teach his Sunday School class. Even with several surgeries and health issues, he never failed to call each member of his Sunday School class, which consisted of 40 plus members, every Saturday afternoon to say he was looking forward to seeing them in Sunday School and church the next day. He touched many lives by being a godly, Christian example and witness.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Irene Davenport; two brothers, Curtis and Lendon Davenport; sister Lillie Belle White and grandsons Sonny Davenport and Christopher Hampton.

He is survived by his wife Mary Alice Davenport; sons Jeff & wife Xiao Yen Davenport and Mike Davenport; daughters Vickie Burney, Shauna & husband Harold Johnston, and Chantay & husband Barry Hance; 12 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren; brothers Claude and Jimmy Davenport; sisters Thelma Gayle Rowell and Nadine Willard; a very dear and great friend Moe Barbee; plus many other wonderful friends.

A Memorial Service will be held at Joshua Baptist Church, located at 3231 SW Wilshire Blvd., Burleson, TX, on Saturday, August 15, 2020 at 2:00 pm with Dr. Gene Wolfenbarger officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Joshua Baptist Church Youth Department in Billy’s name. Donations can be mailed to Joshua Baptist Church, PO Box 1210, Joshua, TX 76058 or online at joshuabaptist.com.

Condolences may be left in Billy’s online guestbook at www.mountainvalleyfuneralhome.com