On Aug. 14, 2014, while surrounded by his girls, family and friends, Billy Allen Blackburn, of Rockport, Ky., smiled one final smile and passed away.
Blackburn enjoyed a life marked by excellence. Born in Rockport, Ky., Oct. 8, 1944, to Kathryn Hopper Blackburn and Henry Lacy Blackburn, he spent his childhood fishing, hunting, and swimming the Green River. He graduated in 1962 from Beaver Dam High School in Beaver Dam, Ky. During his high school career he was active in baseball, weight-lifting, and basketball which led to playing for the 1961 Regional Champion Basketball Team that played in the Kentucky State Tournament. Well-liked and respected by his peers, he received the honor of being named Mr. Beaver Log 1962.
Following an honorable discharge from the United States Army, Blackburn furthered his education at Evansville Technical School graduating with a Journeyman Millwright certification. After 30 years of service, he retired from Millwright Local 1080 in Owensboro, Ky. From 1976-1980, he worked at Peabody’s Alston #3 mines; while there he served as a union representative for the UMWA. In 1989, he began his career with General Electric International as a project manager/ field engineer for turbine repair. In 2002, his service was distinguished with the prestigious “Engineer of the Year” and “Engineer Safety Award” for General Electric Central Region. During his life, Blackburn was also designated as a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Julian Carroll.
Blackburn was an active man who enjoyed multiple facets of life. He was an avid outdoorsman who particularly enjoyed fishing, hunting, and farming. However, the most important aspect of life was his family and devotion to Christ. He was a faithful member of the Beaver Dam Church of Christ for 34 years. His faith sustained him through his eight-year battle with the Parkinsonian Syndrome, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).
Blackburn’s heart was his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry Lacy and Kathryn Blackburn; his brother, Lacy Daniel Blackburn; his sister, Wangola Small Evans; a nephew, Samuel Small III; a brother-in-law, Edward Warren; and his mother-in-law, Opal Butler Warren.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia Warren Blackburn to whom he had the great fortune of being married for 47 years. Their marriage produced two daughters, Shannon Blackburn Earnhart of Bowling Green, Ky., and Sonyia Beth Turner (Dr. Brad Turner) of South Burlington, Vt. He had four grand-daughters whom he adored, Skylar Danielle Earnhart, Tatum Alyse Turner, Sierra Peyton Earnhart, and Taryn Autumn Turner. His surviving brothers are George V. Blackburn of Rockport, Ky., and John Wayne Blackburn (Joyce) of Booneville, Ind. He was also very close to his brothers-in-law, James E. Warren (Wanda) of North Ft. Myers, Fla., and John L. Warren (Bonita) of Harford, Ky.; and one sister-in-law, Sue Carol Barron (Don) of Beaver Dam, Ky.. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews whom he loved very much.
Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at William L. Danks Funeral Home in Beaver Dam with Mark Warren Mosely officiating. Burial will be in Sunnyisde Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. until the time of service Sunday at the funeral home.
Online messages of condolence may be made at: www.danksfuneralhome.com.