November 2025 – Brother Billy

 

 
November 2025
BROTHER BILLY
 
Dear Friend in Christ:
 
Here in the United States, November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving. In this letter, I want to give thanks to God for the life of our beloved Brother Billy Duke, who recently went home to be with Jesus. This ministry has never had better friends than Billy and his wife, Betty. May I share a few brief personal thoughts about them? 
 
Rev. Billy Duke served the Lord in ministry for 60 years, not only in local churches, but everywhere he went. Everyone knew him as “Brother Billy,” because if there ever was a true Brother in Jesus, it was Billy Duke. He was a son of godly, strong, and loving parents, John W. and Dixie Marie Duke, and a brother to his two dear sisters, Carol Ann Collins and Dixie Lee Forman, as well as his stalwart brother John Jr. They were a very close family, and Jesus was the center of their home.  Brother Billy was raised on the Bible; evening “family altar” prayer times were a lifestyle.
 
A good part of his youth was spent fishing with his Daddy. His Dad was a man of few words, but when he did speak, he had a quiet, steady authority that certainly shaped Billy’s life. His Mom was very warm, loving, and gracious. She knew the Word of God deeply and didn’t mind telling you about Jesus! She also made the best chicken and dumplings in the whole wide world. Billy grew up strong. He was a formidable and fierce baseball player; a ballhawk at shortstop and an aggressive, speedy baserunner. 
 
As a young man, he married Betty Jo, and they had two children, Rebecca and Randall.  Billy worked for Geigy Chemical Corporation and was respected by his co-workers and bosses. Even as he rose in leadership there, he was experiencing a call from the Lord into full-time ministry, and he served local churches in the Mobile, Alabama, area. I will quote from Brother Billy’s obituary:
 
“For more than 50 years, Brother Billy was a pastor at Covenant Church of Mobile, where he served with compassion, wisdom, and unwavering devotion to God’s Word. Though he mentored many pastors in other cities and states, his deepest calling—and greatest joy—was to be a true shepherd of God’s people: present in their joys and sorrows, generous with his time, diligent in pastoral care, and steadfast in prayer.”
 
With his talents, passion, and energy—and the great love and respect he earned from so many people—Billy Duke could have become a proud man. However, he was the most humble man I’ve ever met. He had an amazing heart towards people of all walks of life.. He didn’t just serve; he was eager to serve. Billy Duke never pushed to be at the head of the line or the star in the spotlight. He found great contentment in boosting others and glorifying the Lord.
 
When it came time to preach the Word of God, Brother Billy was well-prepared. Though he wasn’t a show-off in the pulpit, he brought love and knowledge of Scripture in a way that connected with the hearts and minds of all who heard him. And Billy Duke had the fire of the Holy Spirit! He wasn’t a screamer, a pulpit pounder, or a Bible beater, but he was passionate and convicted about the Gospel message. He was serious about it; he believed it was real and it was urgent. By the time he finished, you believed it too. 
 
Brother Billy was the guy you wanted on your side if you were in a challenge or fight. He was also who you wanted to speak with when you were broken and felt like giving up. When I was a young minister, Brother Billy was one of my greatest encouragers.  He talked me off the ledge more than once when I was about to allow my hot head to provoke me into foolishness. 
 
He was also a lot of fun to be with. He loved to laugh and inspire laughter. When Rebecca and Randall were kids, Billy and Betty had a swimming pool in their backyard, and it was a frequent hangout for church and school friends. Sometimes at those parties, Brother Billy would make the most delicious Peach Ice Cream.
 
One of his true “happy places” was the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee. He was an avid hiker, and he could cover a lot of territory in a short amount of time. Into his eighties, he was still climbing hills and mountains. A lot of younger people simply couldn’t keep up with him.  I used to tease him, saying he was so quick, he was even fast asleep! Amazingly, however, he didn’t need much sleep. Oftentimes, four hours per night was enough for him. 
 
I believe Brother Billy would tell us he had a wonderful life, but he was no stranger to hardship or heartbreak, either. His beloved son, Randall, died following a very tough battle with cancer, just as he was really flourishing as a young man. Like his Dad, Randall was well-respected; a hard worker; trustworthy, like a rock. Randall was a stellar and tough ballplayer. Everyone wanted to be his teammate. 
 
Like his Dad, Randall also loved to laugh. Sometimes, he would find something or someone especially funny. He would try to reign in his laughter, but he would be so tickled that he would snicker quietly until he had tears in his eyes. I was honored to call him my friend. And then, he was gone.
 
One day not long after Randall passed away, I was sitting in Brother Billy’s office with him, quietly discussing some church issues. His heart was still broken over the passing of his son. Brother Billy kept his Bible on his desk, front and center. He reached out, picked up his Bible, turned to 2 Corinthians 1:2-4, and began to softly read:
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
 
There was something about the way he read that verse. It was like an old friend speaking to and through him. It certainly describes Billy and Betty, who received the comfort of the Lord in their deepest grief and in turn shared that comfort with so many others who were in the midst of their own struggles. The amount of grace Billy and Betty continually showed to others was absolutely staggering … supernatural in every way. 
 
More recently, Billy and Betty faced another tragic loss when their grandson Christopher died. Chris was very close to his grandparents, and they adored him. Chris was also loved in our church community. We had watched him grow up. Chris was one of my Alabama football buddies, and we would talk about the Crimson Tide and life over a plate of BBQ. When Brother Billy called me to share the tragic news, I was deeply moved by his faith and trust in the Lord. Even in tears, he had hope. That is not something a person can fake or conjure up. 
 
I couldn’t begin to fathom the grief that Billy and Betty felt, as well as the grief of Chris’ parents, Buddy and Rebecca Hinson, and his sisters Allison and Katelyn. Our hearts hurt with theirs. Once more, this beautiful family drew from a deep reservoir of grace to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. In so doing, they showed us again what authentic love and faith is. 
 
Billy and Betty were especially significant in the work and mission of Charles Simpson Ministries. Miss Betty, as we all called her, served as my personal secretary for almost 30 years. She was like the “Mom” to our whole staff. She brought wisdom, focus, and good cheer to our office. Betty is a prayer warrior who carries the presence of the Holy Spirit with her wherever she goes. I cannot express my gratitude enough for her years of service. I wasn’t worthy to have such an angel working by my side. 
 
Brother Billy was one of the greatest ambassadors that CSM ever had. I can’t count the number of times he prayed with me, counseled with me, rooted for me, and helped us connect with people out in the wider world. Many of you knew and loved Billy. He and Betty were a constant presence at our annual CSM Gatlinburg “family reunions.” In fact, Betty was the coordinator for these gatherings for many years. They always brought a warm welcome to all of our guests and made sure everyone was comfortable, happy, and engaged.
 
In recent years, Brother Billy’s physical health had declined, even though his spirit and mind remained strong. He and Betty called Susanne and me often, to pray with us and encourage us. Brother Billy was funny on these calls. He would say, “Now, I’m not going to bother you for long, and I know you’ve got other things to do, so I’m going to pray and then hang up.” I would laugh and say, “Brother Billy! There is no one I’d rather talk with right now than you. Don’t hang up!” That was Brother Billy, always considering others. I truly hope he knew that he was never a bother, but always a blessing. 
 
Less than a week before he died, we spoke by phone. The last thing we said to each other was, “I love you.” That means more to me than I can say. 
 
Brother Billy may now be in the eternal presence of the Lord, but he leaves a rich legacy here on earth through his natural and spiritual families. He is survived by Betty, Rebecca and Buddy, granddaughters Allison and Katelyn, his great-grandchildren Dylan, Camilla, and Hallie, nieces and nephews, and extended family. Brother Billy was a sower who planted the seed of the Word of God in countless hearts, not only through things he said, but how he lived and loved. 
 
Whenever we say goodbye to a true pillar in the Church, I am always challenged by these questions: who will step up and take their place in these days? Who will pray with the same dedication and fervor as our predecessors? Who will make the same sacrifices to serve and give to the cause of ministry? Who will willingly go out as ambassadors of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom to a broken, traumatized, angry, and hopeless world?
 
For us at CSM, in recent years we’ve had to say goodbye to many treasured friends who have made the journey into Heaven. We believe the Lord is leading us to continue in our mission of “Restoring the Generational Bridge.” This is a season of finding out who is willing to step out in faith with us. 
 
I never once questioned whether Billy and Betty Duke were with us through thick and thin. As we venture forward with new outreach efforts, including developing our Covenant and Kingdom phone app as well as more audio and video resources, we will discover who feels called by the Lord to go with us. Would you please pray about whether you may be one of those people? One way or another, I’d love to hear from you. Contact us by phone 251.633.7900 or through our csmpublishing.org website. If you have any prayer needs, please let us know also. 
 
Even in our times of sickness, which have been very serious throughout 2025, we have renewed hope and vision for what the Lord is leading us to do. My simple belief is that if God has called us to do something, He will provide the health, strength, grace, wisdom, and resources to do it … as we step out by faith into His will. I will pray and believe the same for you as you step out into wherever He is leading you.
 
Thank you for allowing me to share my heart with you. Please keep us in your prayers and in your budget this month and next. We are reaching new people for Jesus and we are genuinely excited about the future.

In Jesus,
 
Stephen Simpson
President 
By Stephen Simpson October 31, 2025 Categories: Foundations of Faith Leadership Pastoral Letters Relationships Uncategorized Work & Service Worldview & Culture Worship & Prayer Tags: Betty Duke Billy Duke Charles Simpson faithful friend honoring Billy Duke Randall Duke Rebecca Hinson servant softball
About the Author:

Stephen Simpson

STEPHEN SIMPSON is the Editor of One-to-One Magazine and the Director of CSM Publishing. In addition to publishing ministry, Stephen has served in leadership for churches and ministries in Costa Rica, Florida, Mississippi, Texas, and Michigan, as well as being the Senior Pastor of Covenant Church of Mobile (2004-2013). He continues to travel in ministry across North America and in other nations.

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