Graveside Service
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery-
-
-
1520 Harry Wurzbach
San Antonio, Texas 78209 -
A Reception to follow interment at Fort Sam Houston Golf Club.
1935
Pat
2018
Pat Blackwell
June 4, 1935 — June 23, 2018
Pat Blackwell was born June 4th, 1935, in Tuscarawas, Ohio. His parents were William O. and Hazel Blackwell. The family was raised near grandparents in Ohio then moved to Marietta, Georgia and then on to Pomona, California where they settled for good.
When he had completed high school, he enlisted in the Navy Reserve and became a Plane Captain, sparking a life-long love of aviation. He later applied for the US Air Force's Aviation Cadets program and was accepted. Completing Jet Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, he married Cecilia Gay Cobb, of Long Beach, California. He was then assigned to the 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina flying the F-100D Super Sabre and deploying to locations around the globe in defense of our country.
His next assignment was to the 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, again flying F-100D Super Sabres at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.
His family had grown to include two sons, David and Michael, and a daughter, Suzan, by this time, and the family moved to the Republic of the Philippines at Clark Air Base in 1963. While there and assigned to 13th Air Force Staff, he flew T-39A Sabreliners, transporting Distinguished Visitors throughout Southeast Asia and Vietnam.
Completing their overseas tour with a 20-day voyage on the SS President Cleveland to Hong Kong, Yokohama, Honolulu, and San Francisco, the family then settled at Nellis AFB, Nevada, where he flew T-39F Sabreliners involved with instructing Wild Weasel Aircrew.
The family then located in Colorado Springs, Colorado as he had been assigned to the Second Aircraft Delivery Group at Sonderstrom Air Base, Greenland, coordinating overseas movement of various aircraft to other countries in Europe and flying the HU-16B Albatross amphibian rescue aircraft.
Completing this assignment, he was assigned to Randolph Air Force Base in Texas as a pilot in VC-131D Samaritan aircraft, providing executive transportation to the United States 5th Army. This assignment took him to many areas in Mexico and Central America in addition to the United States. He was a single parent during this time and he later met and married the former Miss Wendy Dunnett of Ipswich, England in May of 1973.
His final assignment in the US Air Force took the family to Torrejon Air Base in Madrid, Spain, where he again provided oversight and planning for the overseas movement of military aircraft. He retired from the US Air Force in early 1976 and began working for Melvin Simon and Associates and KVA, managing maintenance at various malls and buildings in the San Antonio area for many years. He also drove for Hertz Car Rentals. He and Wendy had a son, Scott along the way.
Pat loved playing golf with friends and his 4 children. He was a talented wood worker, and enjoyed traveling to visit his children and grandkids, extended relatives and lifelong friends. Other passions included genealogy and turning thousands of pictures into family heirloom DVDs for all to enjoy.
A loving husband, father, and grandfather, he is survived by his wife Wendy, of Universal City, Texas; children David (Susan) Blackwell of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Suzan (Dan) Williams of Cripple Creek, Colorado, Michael Blackwell of Canyon Lake, Texas;, and Scott (Nicole) Blackwell, of Frisco, Texas. His grandchildren are Thomas (Kristen) Blackwell of Reno, NV; Elizabeth Blackwell, of Chicago, Illinois; Patrick (Ashley) Blackwell, of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Jenny (John) Geracitano of Fort Drum, New York; Cody Williams of Boulder Colorado; and Hunter Blackwell, of Frisco, Texas. He is also survived by his brother Floyd (Beth) Blackwell, of Cornelius, North Carolina, sister-in-law, Barbara Blackwell, La Verne, California, many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, William and Hazel Blackwell, sisters Nedra Baron, Myrna Moore and Joann Noel, and brother, Don Blackwell.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Fisher House at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX, or the charity of your choice.
Graveside Services will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, July 13, 2018 at 11:30AM.
A Reception will be held at the Fort Sam Houston Golf Club immediately following the interment at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery.
.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Pat Blackwell, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors