C. RICHARD BLACKWELDER
Aug. 29, 1942-Sept. 17, 2014
Charles Richard Blackwelder, 72, longtime Mount Olive resident, passed away peacefully Wednesday evening, Sept. 17, 2014, while at Kitty Askins Hospice Center.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Blackwelder, who lived in Hillsborough; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Caldwell and Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Blackwelder; and a brother, Joe Blackwelder, who was from Lexington.
Richard is survived by his wife of 46 years, Beverly Scarborough Blackwelder; his daughter and son-in-law, Meredith and Mike Kinder, and their sons, Ryan and Drew, all of Raleigh; and his son and daughter-in-law, Garrett and Corrie Blackwelder, and their daughters, C.J. and Valli, all of Greenville.
He is also survived by a sister-in-law, Sandra Blackwelder; a nephew, Michael Blackwelder; a niece, Julie Huneycutt and husband, David; great-nieces, Laura and Rachel; sister-in-law, Shirley S. Johnson and husband, Glenn; and nephew, Brooks Lee.
He graduated from Hillsborough High School as a three-sport athlete, then graduated from East Carolina University.
He served in the North Carolina National Guard from 1966 to 1973.
After coaching football at Orange High, he and Beverly moved to Mount Olive, where, in 1974, he opened Blackwelder Insurance Agency.
After mergers with fellow insurance agents, Glanton Barwick, Hain Ficken and Eldon Thornton, he opened offices in Goldsboro and Faison, and continued in the business until he retired in 2005.
Richard was a member of First Baptist Church of Mount Olive, where he served for many years as Sunday school superintendent, church training director and chairman of the deacons.
He had served as president of Mount Olive Rotary Club, Mount Olive Exchange Club, Mount Olive College Trojan Club and Mount Olive Boys Club. He served on the board of directors for Raleigh Savings and Loan Association, and he worked tirelessly with his father-in-law in the design and construction of Scarborough Field at the University of Mount Olive.
He loved coaching little league baseball and flag football, but most of all, shagging tennis balls for Meredith and basketballs for Garrett.
Visitation with the family will take place Sunday, Sept. 21, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Christian Life Center of First Baptist Church, and will be followed at 3 p.m. in the church sanctuary with a service of worship to remember Richard and his many contributions . Dr. Dennis Atwood will be officiating, and interment will follow in Martin-Price Cemetery.
Arrangements are with Tyndall Funeral Home.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on September 19, 2014 1:49 PM