Mrs. Alice Ortwein Billingsley

Alice was born July 21, 1935 in Chattanooga, Tennessee to the late, Rev. and Mrs. Malvin (Alice Underwood) Ortwein. Alice graduated from Central High School. She worked for and retired from Combustion Engineering after 44 years of dedicated service.

Alice was a lifelong and oldest member of East Ridge United Methodist Church (previously Saint James UMC). She served as their pianist for over 40 years. She served in many capacities of the church including UMW president, bereavement chair, membership chair, and youth leader. She organized many trips for the senior group. She had a passion for all of her family, keeping up with them by phone and loved visiting with them. She loved her church, serving others, travel, camping, and meeting people. She organized many family reunions, Oak Grove gatherings, and high school reunions. She enjoyed ceramics and pictures.

Alice was preceded in death by her aforementioned parents, and all her brothers and sisters, Amy Ortwein, Hubert (Freda) Ortwein, Bettye (Buster) Parker, Robert (Eleanor) Ortwein, William (Ellen) Ortwein, James Ortwein, Mildred (Lelton) Ward and several nephews.

Left behind to cherish her memory are her husband of 66 years, Gilbert W. Billingsley, daughter, Pamela (Robert) Lawson, granddaughters, Alicin Lawson, Anna Lawson, Tiffany Nabors, great-granddaughter, Jasmyne Nabors, sisters-in-laws, Aline Ortwein and Brenda Billingsley, several generations of nieces and nephews, and her adopted family; Pamela and Todd Taylor, Taylor and Brigette Lowe; Jolee Grace Lowe, Glenda Perry Stewart; and Patrice Miller.

A Celebration of Alice’s life will be held Thursday, October 8, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. It will be live-broadcasted from the funeral home’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/chattanoogaeastchapel. You are welcome to view the service virtually. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 4-8 p.m. She will be laid to rest in the Lakewood South Memory Gardens.

A very special thanks to the hospice team with Hospice of Chattanooga, Kim Sweeten, Tionya Meadows, Laura Wilson, Jeanne Baucom, Bill Bond, and Ruby Byrd.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contributions be made in Alice’s memory to either Hospice of Chattanooga, 4413 Oakwood Dr, Chattanooga, TN 37416 or to East Ridge Methodist Church, Young at Heart, or UMW, 1601 Prater Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37412.

We respectfully request that all current mandates set forth by the CDC and the Hamilton County Health Department be adhered to. This includes “social distancing” and wearing masks at all times while on the premises.

Arrangements are under the care of Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist East Chapel, 404 South Moore Rd. East Ridge, TN 37412.

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com