Creating a Legacy

Albert and Margaret Billingslea never sought recognition for the good that they did.  They established a donor advised fund at CFCG in 1995 to support organizations and causes they cared about. Both have since passed away: Albert in 2005 and Margaret in 2015.  Now their daughters are the advisors of their family’s fund. They see their fund as an opportunity not only to memorialize their parents but also to help others.

Albert owned a successful construction business in Macon, and he built neighborhoods and churches throughout the city. Mr. Billingslea served for many years on the Bibb County Board of Commissioners, working collaboratively for improvements like road-paving and for the establishment of a rehabilitation facility for men recovering from addiction.  Even after he left public office his advice was sought by younger politicians. In spite of this active public life, Mr. Billingslea was a humble, unassuming man. The Billingslea children knew him as a private man devoted to both them and to their mother during their marriage of 63 years.  One of their daughters, Karen, has been surprised to learn how involved her mother was in giving to the community. “She was always quiet and in the background,” says Karen Billingslea. “For me, she was always at home.”

At her mother’s funeral, Karen learned of the extent of Mrs. Billingslea’s active devotion to her church, St. Peter Claver. “Whenever they needed anything, she was there.” once, when a former priest was ill, Mrs. Billingslea took him into her home and cared for him.

CFCG provided information to the Billingslea family about the history of their parents’ giving. The sisters want to sustain and further their parents’ philanthropic interests, such as supporting substance abuse rehabilitation and scholarships for technical education. The Fund also provides an opportunity to support additional causes important to the sisters. They rely on CFCG’s knowledge of community needs and community organizations to help them identify ways to do so.