Jan. 6, 1929 - Feb. 19, 2007
WILLMAR -- Billy Blackman Blankenship 78, of Willmar, died Monday at his home following an extended illness.
The service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home Chapel.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
He was born on Jan. 6, 1929, in Paris, Texas, to John and Elizabeth (Pearson) Blankenship. He grew up in Henderson, Texas, where he attended elementary schooling. The family later moved to Big Sandy, Texas, where he graduated from high school in 1946. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1946 to 1949. He continued his education at Stephen F. Austin College, Nacogdoches, Texas, graduating in 1953 with a bachelor's degree and in 1954 with a master's degree in education.
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On Jan. 5, 1952, he married Clytell Howard at Big Sandy, Texas. Following their marriage they lived in Nacogdoches, Riesel, and Gladewater, Texas, before moving to Hobbs, N.M. He taught elementary school and was the high school counselor for Hobbs Municipal Schools for 34 years, retiring in 1988. Following his retirement he served as manager for Hobbs School Computer Labs for 10 years. They moved to Willmar in 2003. He was a member of National Education Association and the U.S. Bowling Congress.
He is survived by his wife; children, A. Lane Brown of Mammoth, Ariz., and A. Elaine (and Jimmy) Widner of Willmar; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; brothers, Jack Blankenship of Longview, Texas, and Gene (and Patsy) Blankenship of Plano, Texas; sister, Tommylu Strickland of Longview.
He was preceded in death by one sister, one grandson and one great-granddaughter.
