Theodore Blankenship

Cherry Valley, Ohio - Theodore Blankenship, age 80, on Wednesday, June 30, 2010, fell asleep here on earth surrounded by his family and woke up in heaven. He was born on April 19, 1930, in Panther, West Virginia, the son of Dorcas (Kennedy) and Enos Blankenship. Ted was a graduate of Iaeger High School in Iaeger, West Virginia. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1952 and then to Cherry Valley, Ohio in 1964. He was an inspector for Fisher Body (a division of General Motors) of Cleveland for over thirty years. Ted formerly worked for the railroad and coal mines while operating his own farm. On July 9, 1949, he married Gladys Mae Stacy. He was a founding member of the First Baptist Church Of Andover, a member of the Masonic Lodge and supported St. Jude Childrens Hospital for the past thirty years. Ted enjoyed hunting, fishing, doing woodworking and carpentry and was able to fix, build and grow about anything. He is preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, Theodore Blankenship, Jr.; a sister, Maxie B. Lockhart; an infant brother, Richard Blankenship; four brothers, Estel M., Elmer E., Walter L. and Franklin R. Blankenship and a son-in-law, John D. Shevetz. Survivors include his wife of sixty years, Gladys M. Blankenship of Cherry Valley, Ohio; three daughters, Sharon "Shari" Shevetz of Troutville, Virginia, Sandra "Sandy" (Jim) Serroka-Phegley of Hurst, Texas, and Stacy L. (Kris Brown) Blankenship-Gould of Cherry Valley; three sisters, Nadine B. Freeman of Sandy Hook, Mississippi, Ila B. "Katie" McGuinness of Hertford, North Carolina, and Peggy B. Swetnam of La Place, Louisiana; two brothers, Rev. Jesse J. "Jig" Blankenship of Glasglow, Virginia and C. Wetzel Blankenship of Orlando, Florida; five grandchildren, Kelly (Christopher) Gross, Jessica (Francisco) Shevetz-Estrada, Cherie (Michael) Ashby, Andrew James Serroka, and Marilyn Mae "Tink" Gould; and eleven great grandchildren, Glen and Heather McNiell, Nicole, John and Jolean Gross, James Theodore Serroka, Azi and Eva Rose Estrada, and Analise, Alaina and Angeliq Ashby. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 3, 2010 at Noon at the First Baptist Church Of Andover 5236 Stanhope Kelloggsville Road, Andover, Ohio with Brother Brian Hall officiating. Burial will follow in Cherry Valley Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Friday, July 2, 2010 from 7:00pm until 9:00pm at Baumgardner Funeral Home 134 Prospect Street, Andover, Ohio. Memorial contributions may be made to the family. Guestbook available at www.baumgardnerfunralhomes.com

Service Information