Billy Franklin Vanlandingham

Billy Franklin Vanlandingham passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at the age of 81 in Houston, TX, with his family at his side. He was born on March 15, 1944, in Bruce, MS, to Forrest Franklin Vanlandingham and Edna Mae (Turner) Vanlandingham. The family later moved to Memphis, TN, where he attended Messick High School. Billy graduated from Memphis State University with a bachelor's and master's degree in economics. He later attended Arkansas State University, where he completed a second bachelor's degree in education.

Billy met the love of his life in Memphis, TN when he was 18, Ruth Ann Jones. They were married three years later on October 9, 1965. After completing his master's degree at Memphis State, they moved to Fort Smith, AR where he worked for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. They adopted their son, Josh, in 1972 and shortly thereafter moved to Rector, AR, where Billy tried his hand at farming for a year with his father-in-law, Ralph Jones. He took a position as a math teacher at Rector High School the next year, and left teaching in 1977 to take over the MFA/Shelter Insurance business in Rector, AR. He served as mayor of Rector from 1979 through 1982, and was later elected constable. Billy acquired his real estate license and opened Arkansas Realty and a real estate appraisal business in the 1980s, and then returned to teaching math part time at the local high school, Clay County Central, in the mid-1980s when the school called and asked him to teach a couple of classes. Billy retired from insurance, real estate and teaching in 2003 when he and Ruth Ann moved to Katy, TX to be close to Josh's family and their first grandchild, Maddy. While there Billy's love of golf led him to work as a marshal at Meadowbrook Farms Golf Course, where he quickly found a close group of friends who would play golf seven days a week whenever they could. He often commented that these early retirement years on the golf course were some of the best years of his life.

Billy and Ruth Ann moved to Decatur, AL in 2014 to be closer to his aging mother. It was there in August of 2015 that Billy suffered a spinal cord injury that left him quadriplegic. His body may have been broken, but his spirit was not. His positive attitude and hard work were such an inspiration to all that met him after his injury that two articles were written about him while in treatment in Birmingham, AL and Decatur, AL. He and Ruth Ann moved back to Houston in 2017 to be closer to Josh and his family.

Billy was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Ruth Ann (Jones) Vanlandingham. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Joshua Jones Vanlandingham and Suzanne Brock Vanlandingham, of Houston, Texas, and their three children Maddy, Emily and Sarah. Billy is also survived by his sisters Laura Vines of Highlands, NC and Kay Humphreys and her husband Robert, of Spring Hill, TN and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

A memorial service for Billy will be held on December 13, 2025 at 11:00am at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 5501 Main Street, Houston, TX 77004.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial contribution to First United Methodist Church of Rector, AR at 116 West 3rd St., Rector, AR 72461 or to a charity special to you.