Billy Rudolph Cartwright

Billy Rudolph Cartwright, 85, of Madisonville, passed away June 22, 2016 at Baptist Health Hospital after a lengthy battle with myelodyspastic syndrome. He was born July 4, 1930 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Uria L. Cartwright and Ozelia Howton Cartwright, who both predeceased him. He is,survived by his wife of 61 years, Nell Wiley Cartwright; son Keith Cartwright and wife, Rene', of Madisonville, and son, Kevin Cartwright and wife, Janet, of Elizabethtown; four grandchildren: John, Will (wife Ellen), Kathryn and Emily Cartwright; step-granddaughter Cassandra Walker and step-great granddaughter Josie Wiggins. He is also survived by brother Bremen Cartwright, sister Peggy Forbes of Madisonville, sister Joanne Lovan of Reidland, and brother Bobby Cartwright of Tifton, Georgia. Billy Cartwright was a 1949 graduate of Madisonville High School and after graduation served in the United States Army from 1951-53 in the Korean War serving at a hospital and Prisoner of War camp. After his military service he returned home and on one evening took his younger brother to the skating rink in Slaughters where he met the love of his life, Nell Wiley. Billy Cartwright was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Madisonville and previously served in Church leaderships at New Salem and Providence United Methodist Churches including serving as Sunday School teacher. He was a long time member of the Providence Golf and Country Club and the Madisonville Country Club. Billy Cartwright was retired as a bank and small loan company examiner with the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions.He was also involved in farming operations with Ponderosa Realty and operated Ponderosa Vending Machines. He was a lifelong Democrat and was the Democratic nominee for United States Congress, First District of Kentucky, in 2004. In 2015 he was inducted into the Hopkins County Democratic Party Hall of Fame. He also served as a member of the Providence Independent Board of Education. He was a longtime Mason and was the 1966 Past Master of the Madisonville Lodge 143 F. A. M. He was also a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the West Kentucky Consistory of Scottish Rite. Services will be at 11 :00 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at Tomblinson Funeral Home, Slaughters with Brother Dale Carden officiating. Burial will follow in the New Salem Methodist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 pm on Friday, June 25, 2016 and at 9:00 am at the funeral home on Saturday. In lieu offlowers the family requests donations to the New Salem Methodist Church Cemetery, Post Office Box 57, Slaughters, Kentucky, 42456.