Martin Benjamin Billings

1923 - 1997  (74 years)

• Name	Martin Benjamin Billings  [1, 2]
  Birth	23 Feb 1923	Rockland, Hancock, Maine   [1, 2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Death	10 Jul 1997  [2, 3]
  Burial	Grays Hill Cemetery, Little Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine   [3]
  Person ID	I32036	Descendants of William Hascall of Fontmell Magna (1490-1542)
  Last Modified	18 Dec 2021

  
  

  Father	Martin Billings,   b. 20 Jan 1897, Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine d. 18 Feb 1983, Camden, Knox, Maine (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Jennie Teresa Turley,   b. 5 Oct 1897, Stonington, Hancock, Maine d. 24 May 1976 (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	5 Oct 1921	Rockland, Hancock, Maine   [4, 5, 6]
  Family ID	F16827	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Vona Cutler
  Children	1. Joy Billings   2. Beverly Ann Billings   3. M. Michael Billings   4. Charles Billings
  Family ID	F119728	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	18 Dec 2021

  
  

• Notes

  Portland Press Herald (ME) July 11, 1997 Martin Benjamin ''Ben'' Billings, 74, died at his home Thursday in the care of his family. He was born in Rockland, son of Martin W. Billing and Jenny Weymouth, grew up in Stonington and graduated from Stonington High School. He was in the first graduating class at Maine Maritime Academy in 1943. As a marine engineer, he served in World War II, and from 1964 to 1965, he made trips to Vietnam delivering military goods. He retired from Farrell Lines Inc. of New York City in 1968 after 20 years of service as a chief engineer. He traveled all over the world with Farrell before becoming chief engineer at the Maine Maritime Academy in 1964. After retiring in 1972, he continued to make yearly cruises on the academy's training vessel State of Maine. In 1994, he made the MMA anniversary cruise to England and participated in activities in remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy. At that time, Cmdr. Billings was decorated for his war service, including the invasion. When he made his last State of Maine voyage in 1995 and was recognized for having made 104 Atlantic crossings. In retirement, he was employed by Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute (now Technical College), where he represented Gulf Oil teaching marine engineering. He also worked for Champion Paper of Bucksport as a boiler technician. His favorite pastime was cruising the coast in his boat, The Gentle Ben. For the past 12 years, he had wintered in Florida. He was a longtime member of Maine Maritime Academy Alumni Association, the Marine Engineer Beneficial Association and a lifetime member of the Portland Marine Society. He was a member of the Ellsworth Merchant Marine Club, the Elks Club of Ruskin, Fla., Hancock Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Bodies and Anah Temple Shrine of Bangor. Surviving are his wife of 54 years, Vona Cutler Billings; two daughters, Joy Knowles of Holden and Beverly Ann Billings of Portland; two sons, M. Michael of Orland and Charles of Wiscasset; and five grandchildren.

  
  

• Sources

  [S39383] 1930 census, Maine, Hancock county. [S70522] Obituary, Portland Press Herald (ME), Martin Benjamin Billings, (July 11, 1997). [S45476] Cemetery index, Grays Hill Cemetery, Little Deer Isle, Hancock, Maine, (Find-a-Grave). [S39383] 1930 census, Maine, Hancock county, Year: 1930; Census Place: Stonington, Hancock, Maine; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0035 (Reliability: 3). [S53672] Marriage index, Maine, Name: Jennie T Turley Gender: Female Residence: Rockland, ME Spouse's Name: Martin W Billings Spouse's Gender: Male Spouse's Residence: Rockland, ME Marriage Date: 5 Oct 1921 Marriage Place: Maine, USA (Reliability: 3). [S66626] Marriage record, Maine (Reliability: 3). Name: Jennie Theresa Turley Gender: Female Age: 23 Birth Date: abt 1898 Birth Place: Stonington, ME. Marriage Date: 5 Oct 1921 Marriage Place: Rockland, Knox, Maine, USA Father: Patrick Turley Mother: Jennie Sweeney Spouse: Martin W Billings