Obituary: Edward Blankenship

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Edward Blankenship, 79, of Valier, died Saturday, March 31, 2012, in the Fair Acres Nursing Home in Du Quoin.

Edward was born in Springfield on Sept. 3, 1932, to the late Jim and Lucile (Eads) Blankenship. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a sergeant. Edward retired from Volkswagen of America as a mechanic and district service manager.

On March 20, 1959, in California he married the former Mary (Pfister), formerly of Ridgway. His passion in life was the mechanics of cars, loved to build and fly remote control airplanes, fish and off-road racing. He was a true hobbyist and was able to fix almost anything. He was a good husband, father, grandfather and friend and will be missed.

Edward is survived by his wife, Mary (Pfister) Blankenship of Valier; a son, Jim (Donna) Blankenship of Hesperia, Calif.; a daughter, Diana (David) Whitney of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; a grandson, Kenny (Aj) Keppler of Atlanta, Ga.; and a brother, Mel and Lou Blankenship of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Funeral service for Edward will be starting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at the Cox and Son Funeral Home in Ridgway. The family will receive friends from 9 a.m. until funeral time on Wednesday. The Rev. Eric White will officiate and interment will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery in Ridgway. Military rites will be conducted at the gravesite.

You may leave a note of comfort to the family at the Internet site www.coxandson.com