Richard A. Billingsley, former chief nursing officer at Mena Regional Health System, died Jan. 16, 2022, at his home in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
He was 67. Rick was born April 16, 1954, in Mena, Ark., to Richard A. Billingsley Sr. and Essie Mae Standridge, who owned and operated Beasley Funeral Home.
A talented musician, Rick served as an organist and pianist at several local churches during his teenage years. After graduating from Mena High School, Rick went on to have a long career in health care.
He initially completed his RN training at UA Fort Smith, and he worked as a nurse at hospitals in Fort Smith, Little Rock and, during the 1980s and early 1990s, in Dallas.