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Submitted: 7/19/13 • Approved: 12/3/13 • Last Updated: 12/6/13 • R909749-G909749-S3
Willard
September 25, 1916 - January 25, 2004
(see Veteran memorial)
*Obituary
Shinn Funeral Home
Willard "Jimmy" Blankenship, age 87, of Atkins, died Sunday, January 25, 2004, at his home. A son of the late Clarence Elmer and Bessie Compton Blankenship, he was born September 25, 1916, at Atkins. He was a retired chemical operator and businessman, and a United States Army veteran of World War II. He became a born again Christian in 1929, and was a member of Trinity Temple in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He was hired by Basic Magnesium, Inc., which produced firebombs to be used in Germany in 1942. He was in charge of his department, and Governor Pittman, then Governor of Nevada, honored him with Nevada's highest safety award. He then worked for California Tech producing rockets inside the Naval Ordnance Test Station at Inyokern, California. After serving in the military he was hired in 1951 by the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation at the Henderson, Nevada, Ammonium Perchlorate Facility. Fuel manufactured there is used in the space shuttle and Titan 4, and in military missiles such as the Patriot and the Tomahawk. After twenty-nine nears with Kerr-McGee he retired.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Geneva Blankenship; his step-mother, Rev. Christine Blankenship; two sons, Jimmy and Keith Blankenship; and a brother, Edgar Blankenship. Survivors include a daughter, Damaris Blankenship Garcia of Atkins; and three grandchildren: Krystal and Chad Roten and Jesse Garcia, all of Atkins.
Graveside service and entombment will be 2 P.M., Tuesday, January 27, 2004, at Rest Haven Memorial Park Mausoleum with Rev. Mike McNeeley and Rev. James Hibbard officiating. Arrangements are by Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville.
Active pallbearers will be David Holmes, Mike Roten, Charles Smith and Tom Hall. Honorary pallbearer will be Bob Blankenship.
The family will receive friends on Monday evening, from 6 to 7 P.M., at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Atkins First Assembly of God, 201 North Church Street, Atkins, Arkansas 72823.
Geneva
1919 - 1988
Contributed on 7/19/13 by ashaw444
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Record #: 909749