Funeral services for Louisville pastor Billy Ray Hollins will be held Tuesday in Louisville. He had been a minister for over 40 years in Louisville, Bowling Green, Carbondale (Illinois), Jeffersonville (Indiana) and Radcliff.
He was a native of Russellville. His survivors include wife Alice, children Martin, Zakee, Christine, Jennifer and Zanzi; 15 grandchildren; and siblings Christine Owens, James Smith (Geraldine), Betty Wells, Nancy Jackson (Cliff), Tarnda Beard (Andre), Janie Hollins, Gerri Hollins, Rev. H. G. Hollins (Dorothy) and Rev. E.A. Hollins.
He is also survived by fellow members of the Russellville High School Class of 1968, and he was obviously very special to them. Four of them—Jerry Averitt, Nelson Weaver, Cathy Holmes and Susan Hindman Watson—have written tributes to “Preacher Hollins.”
By Susan Hindman Watson
Recently, many of us got the sad news that our classmate and dear friend, Rev. Billy Ray Hollins, had gone to be with Jesus. At the news, there were initial tears and then came the flood of tender memories of a sweet little boy with a big smile and a gentleness of soul that would set him apart from all the rest.
I think we had probably been friends forever almost. His big sister babysat for the Hindmans and sometimes Billy Ray would tag along. We played hard on those days, and we shared popsicles and Coke, and we told stories, and laughed until our sides hurt.
Even then at 6 or 7, he knew that he had a calling to preach, and although he took a lot of teasing over the years, he never wavered. Somewhere between our freshman and sophomore years in high school, he was tagged with the name "Preacher" and it stuck. He wore it like a badge of honor.
I left home at 19 and lost track of Billy Ray. I didn't even know until a few years back that he indeed had stayed true to his calling and had one of the biggest churches in his city!
I have strangely been thinking about him for the last couple of weeks. I am sure that was the sweetness of God calling me to pray, and I am sad that I did not listen. My heart goes out to his family and to his congregation, for this is truly a great loss, but I can only imagine what a great celebration is taking place in heaven. I can envision Billy Ray sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing Him say, "Welcome home, my good and faithful servant. You have run the race with Me, and now enter into your rest."
Look for me my brother, and save me a spot on the climbing tree. I will bring the cokes.
I love you, Preacher Hollins.
By Cathy Holmes
“Hollins!” “Here!”
“Holmes!” “Here!”
Homeroom roll call, rustling, talking, and announcements over the loudspeaker by Mary Ewing Hart started our mornings at Russellville High. Billy Ray and I sat by each other in homeroom. We would laugh and chat about nothing special. At the bell, everybody scattered for first period class. Just routine.
Our class had its 45th reunion last October. The decibel level rose as more and more people arrived and crowded around the nametag table. I turned as Billy Ray came in the door. Our eyes met and almost simultaneously we yelled each other’s names, no nametags needed! A huge hug and photo op followed.
Then there was food and music and dancing and laughing – lots of laughing. Class President Chris Watson called roll.
“Hollins!” “Here!”
“Holmes!” “Here!”
Billy Ray: a nice guy with a great smile and gentle soul was there. Definitely not routine.
By Nelson Weaver
Billy Ray Hollins would be the first to agree that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. Everyone brings something special to the table.
The fact is that some people are more visible as they go about being equal. Billy Ray was a highly visible member of the 68 class of RHS.
Very few know exactly what they want in life when they are a freshman in high school. Some think they might have an idea. Most don't have a clue. In fact, the majority of high school freshmen have not given the matter much thought.
Billy Ray knew. He didn't just know. He was positive. I'm not sure when he figured it out but he arrived knowing exactly who he was, where he was going, and, what he wanted when he got there. You see, Billy Ray Hollins was going to be a preacher.
There was never any doubt about this "preordained" destiny for Billy Ray. It was so well known that his classmates called him "Preacher Hollins" or just "Preacher" for short. Everyone called him "Preacher".
Preacher wore his name very well. He somehow had the maturity to understand his goal and the road he should take to get there.
It didn't hurt his aspirations that Preacher had a smile that would melt butter. It was always there. In fact, I would say that smile was his trademark. You could count on Billy Ray to brighten the room when he entered.
I remember Preacher being on the stage during high school political debates. He was honing his skills even then.
There would be a lifetime ahead of him behind a pulpit and leading his flock. I would only see Preacher at class reunions. He would give me updates on his family and his churches.
I saw him last October. He flashed me that same smile when he saw me. I took it for granted. I assumed that he would be with us next time.
Billy Ray "Preacher" Hollins had many friends. His biography will tell the story of his life. It will tell what he did with the talents God gave him. Many of us were fortunate to know WHO he truly was. He was and will always be "Preacher Hollins.."
By Jerry Averitt
Although I spent almost half of my life in and around Louisville, I did not know Billy Ray from there. I knew Billy Ray from our hometown of Russellville, Kentucky, where we both graduated from high school with the famous, and infamous, class of ’68. Because I live on the other side of the world now, on the tropical western Pacific island of Saipan, about as far from Kentucky as it is possible to be, I am unable to attend Billy’s funeral.
So, I collected these few thoughts about my old classmate Billy Ray.
I have to admit that, although I did think of Billy as a friend, we were not especially close in high school. The reason had nothing to do with the fact that I am Caucasian and Billy was African American. It had to do with the fact that Billy Ray was a good kid, and me, well, not so much. Billy Ray was always where he should be, doing what he should be doing, and me, well, not so much. In fact, I remember that everybody in school always called Billy “Preacher”, because, even at that early age, Billy always knew what was his calling in life.
I remember that Billy Ray always wore a starched white shirt and loose fitting slacks, while we “other type” kids, wore the tightest fitting jeans we could squeeze into. I also remember that Billy Ray always stood very straight and erect, while some of us “other types” deliberately cultivated a slothful, delinquent looking slouch. While Billy Ray’s speech always employed correct grammar and was always respectful and clean as a whistle, some of us “other types” deliberately developed a more surly sound, sloppy slang, often laced with nasty profanities.
While I had no contact with Billy during my years in Louisville, I did have indirect contact, through our mutual friend, Lucie Hampton Simmons. Lucie was five years older than Billy and me, so she was not a schoolmate. In fact, I don’t think Lucie ever went to school all that much. No, Lucie was out on her own at an early age, making her own way in the world, using any means that a single, uneducated, “independent minded” young black girl could, in rural southern Kentucky, back in those days.
You see, Lucie and I were both considered “black sheep” around Russellville, back then. It actually caused quite a stir when Lucie and Parnel Simmons became one of the first racially mixed marriages in Russellville.
I say that I had indirect contact with Billy Ray, because Lucie would often mention him. I left Russellville before Billy did, for Louisville, Nashville, Indianapolis, Detroit, Atlanta, California, Florida, Texas and the list goes on. I was a wild, rebellious drifter, while Billy Ray was a responsible, solid citizen.
Billy Ray lingered in Russellville for a while, before moving on to Louisville. It was there that he befriended our common friend and “soul sister,” Lucie. I am telling this part of the story because it reveals something about Billy Ray’s character. You see, Lucie was considered a notorious pariah around Russellville. Lucie definitely made her life on the “wrong side of the tracks.” Yet, Billy Ray, in spite of being an upstanding member of polite society, and a good Christian minister, never distanced himself from Lucie.
In fact, maybe even because of being a good Christian minister, Billy Ray always stood by his old friend Lucie, no matter how bad her reputation was. Rather than condemning her, Billy treated Lucie the same way that Jesus treated the women of ill repute of His day and time. He forgave her and encouraged her and blessed her and prayed for her. That is the kind of minister Billy was and that is the kind of man that Billy was. So I think it can be truthfully said that Billy Ray was a lot like Jesus.
When I returned to Russellville in the fall of 2002, I found our old friend Lucie to be very sick. In fact, Lucie died shortly after the New Year. I attended Lucie’s funeral at the local AME church in Russellville, and that is when I saw Bill Ray again. Billy came down from Louisville to preach Lucie’s funeral. I will never forget that funeral and Billy Ray’s animated preaching style. His theme was forgiveness and mercy. Billy believed that.
Lucie had made her peace with God and that she was going home to heaven. In fact, Billy rebuked any devil or any human who had anything bad to say about Lucie on that day. He had his trademark umbrella with him on the podium and became animated as he spoke. He gestured with the umbrella, as if it were shepherd’s staff, poking and swinging, as if he were fighting off any devils or humans who would try to disturb his beloved old friend.
He kept shouting, “Get Back! Get Away from her! She is God’s child and she is going to be with Him!” I think that loving, protective, shepherd-like quality was probably typical of Billy’s ministry and of his life. Now Billy Ray has followed our friend Lucie, and has gone home to heaven, too.
When I received notification of Billy’s death, my immediate impression was that Billy Ray was allowed to leave this wicked old world and go to heaven because he had lived a good life and had earned his reward. Some of the rest of us will be required to stay here longer because, unlike Billy, we still have some stains to wash out of our garments before we can be allowed to go home to heaven.
Rest in peace Billy Ray, and hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”