Peter Watson Billings

Peter Watson Billings died June 29, 2024. He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and colleague. He is survived by his wife Margaret “Marney” (Dewey), the love of his life and his rock as they lived through his more than 8 years of Stage IV prostate cancer. He is also survived by his children Molly (Sandeep) and David (Irene); and his three outstanding grandchildren—Theo (15), Navya (13), and Josh (11)—who brought him great joy. One of his great regrets was that he would not be able to see what they do with their lives.

Peter was born to Peter (Sr.) and Marjorie “Peg” Abbott Billings. A 5^th generation Utahn, he grew up in Salt Lake City with his brothers, John, Tom, and Stuart. Peter had fond childhood memories of playing baseball and building forts in the field behind his house, now the Bonneville Golf Course driving range.

He was student body president at St. Mark’s (which merged with Rowland Hall), and student government president at Brown University. At age 24, Peter was the youngest person appointed to serve on Brown’s Board of Trustees. After college, Peter was a Samuel T. Arnold Fellow at King’s College Cambridge. There, he played tennis and rowed in the “gentlemen's eight.” He drank tea between tennis games and formed a love of being on the water in a scull or kayak. 

While in Washington, DC, working as a Legislative Assistant for Senator Frank Moss, he met Marney. It was 1969 at a Fourth of July party—Marney had agreed to attend because his apartment had air conditioning. They married less than a year later. For over 54 years, Peter and Marney were rarely apart. Upon his graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School, they moved back to Washington, where Peter practiced law. In 1974, he returned to Salt Lake to manage Wayne Owens’ U.S. Senate campaign. They lost. Peter practiced law at Fabian & Clendenin (later Fabian VanCott) for over forty-five years, including twenty-five years as President of the firm. He worked with his father for decades and, briefly, with his son. 

Among his many accomplishments and leadership positions, he liked to joke that he had held two of the toughest jobs in Utah, both unpaid: Chairman of the Utah Liquor Commission and Chairman of the Utah Democratic Party. While his children were in grade school, Peter served on Rowland Hall’s board of trustees, including four years as chairman. After he retired from the practice of law, Peter served as President of Salt Lake Country Club, overseeing difficult times during the pandemic while undergoing cancer treatments.

His children remember him teaching them how to ski and to appreciate the outdoors. Family car trips to California and camping among red rocks were annual events. Molly and David recall going on epic hikes, snowshoeing, and bike riding through mountains and deserts with their father. Peter never wanted to take the same route back. “It will probably meet up with the road if we go down this way,” he’d say. It rarely did. But the hikes that were previously seen as forced marches are now remembered fondly. After Molly and David became parents, Peter arranged (and paid) for wonderful trips where we grew close, creating family memories and traditions.  

Peter loved to compete with everyone on everything: whether it was in the courtroom, on the golf course, about the number of steps you took in a day, or daily New York Times word puzzles. More often than not, he would win.

His grandkids remember him as Papou, a name his mother claimed he gave himself as a toddler. Peter loved being a grandfather. He upped his bedtime story-reading game, and taught them how to drive (the golf cart) and play pickleball. He gave them unconditional love and they returned it. 

Peter and his family would like to thank Dr. Benjamin Maughan who listened to his questions, answered them well, and was kind and extraordinarily able in caring for Peter. We will be forever grateful.

Services will be held at St. Mark’s Cathedral at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send donations to Huntsman Cancer Institute.