Jacob F. Blackburn of Falmouth, a former US State Department official who also spent many years designing computer systems for IBM, died on October 10. He was 95.
Born at home in Newton, North Carolina, he was the son of Lottie M. (Lael) Blackburn and Walter J. Blackburn.
Although he grew up poor, he was encouraged by his mother to go to college. He received his undergraduate degree from Lenoir Rhyne College in 1940 and later earned his PhD in mathematics from the University of North Carolina.
Mr. Blackburn served in the US Air Force as the weather officer for the 42d Bombardment Group in the Pacific during World War II, often flying in advance of bombing missions to ensure that the weather in the target area was acceptable.
While on leave in New Zealand, he met Beverley England, to whom he was married for 69 years.
In 1952 he was issued orders by the Air Force to study with Professor John von Neumann at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was trained in the use of electronic computers for numerical weather prediction. Later Mr. Blackburn was sent to the Air Force Numerical Prediction Project Atmospheric Lab in Cambridge, where he was a lecturer.
In January 1955 Mr. Blackburn became an associate professor at the new Air Force Academy at Lowry Field in Denver, where he helped prepare curriculum for the first class of cadets to enter the school in the summer of that year.
He went to work for IBM in 1956. He managed the IBM 704 at MIT and worked with MIT mathematicians in processing data used for tracking the first Sputnik satellite.
Mr Blackburn also designed and sold IBM computer systems used for rail passenger ticketing in Europe and atomic weapons testing in the Pacific Islands, and oversaw the planning and building of an IBM advanced education center near Brussels, Belgium.
After retiring from IBM in 1977 Mr. Blackburn went to work for the State Department as director of the Office of Technology Policy and Space Affairs in Europe. During this time, he and his wife lived in London and summered in Falmouth.
He retired in 1992 and moved to Falmouth full time in 2008. While in Falmouth, he was an active member of the Menauhant Yacht Club. He also enjoyed tennis, playing daily until he was 88.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Blackburn leaves a son, Gregg Blackburn and his wife, Karen Blackburn of East Falmouth and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; two grandsons, Christopher Blackburn, of Wayland and Winston Blackburn of Brooklyn, New York; two great-grandchildren, Henry and Georgia Blackburn; a brother, Asa Blackburn of Newton, North Carolina; two nieces, Teresa B. Peterson and Pamela B. Nelson; and two nephews, Richard C. Blackburn and Timothy D. Blackburn.
Mr. Blackburn was the brother of the late Thomas H. Blackburn and uncle of the late Patricia Erdman and Bruce R. Blackburn.
Services will be held in the spring
In lieu of flowers send donations to a charity of one's choice.
Posted in the Enterprise newspaper on October 15, 2014
Thank you to Vickie Oates Woods, member #47172707, for the obituary information
Born at home in Newton, North Carolina, he was the son of Lottie M. (Lael) Blackburn and Walter J. Blackburn.
Although he grew up poor, he was encouraged by his mother to go to college. He received his undergraduate degree from Lenoir Rhyne College in 1940 and later earned his PhD in mathematics from the University of North Carolina.
Mr. Blackburn served in the US Air Force as the weather officer for the 42d Bombardment Group in the Pacific during World War II, often flying in advance of bombing missions to ensure that the weather in the target area was acceptable.
While on leave in New Zealand, he met Beverley England, to whom he was married for 69 years.
In 1952 he was issued orders by the Air Force to study with Professor John von Neumann at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was trained in the use of electronic computers for numerical weather prediction. Later Mr. Blackburn was sent to the Air Force Numerical Prediction Project Atmospheric Lab in Cambridge, where he was a lecturer.
In January 1955 Mr. Blackburn became an associate professor at the new Air Force Academy at Lowry Field in Denver, where he helped prepare curriculum for the first class of cadets to enter the school in the summer of that year.
He went to work for IBM in 1956. He managed the IBM 704 at MIT and worked with MIT mathematicians in processing data used for tracking the first Sputnik satellite.
Mr Blackburn also designed and sold IBM computer systems used for rail passenger ticketing in Europe and atomic weapons testing in the Pacific Islands, and oversaw the planning and building of an IBM advanced education center near Brussels, Belgium.
After retiring from IBM in 1977 Mr. Blackburn went to work for the State Department as director of the Office of Technology Policy and Space Affairs in Europe. During this time, he and his wife lived in London and summered in Falmouth.
He retired in 1992 and moved to Falmouth full time in 2008. While in Falmouth, he was an active member of the Menauhant Yacht Club. He also enjoyed tennis, playing daily until he was 88.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Blackburn leaves a son, Gregg Blackburn and his wife, Karen Blackburn of East Falmouth and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; two grandsons, Christopher Blackburn, of Wayland and Winston Blackburn of Brooklyn, New York; two great-grandchildren, Henry and Georgia Blackburn; a brother, Asa Blackburn of Newton, North Carolina; two nieces, Teresa B. Peterson and Pamela B. Nelson; and two nephews, Richard C. Blackburn and Timothy D. Blackburn.
Mr. Blackburn was the brother of the late Thomas H. Blackburn and uncle of the late Patricia Erdman and Bruce R. Blackburn.
Services will be held in the spring
In lieu of flowers send donations to a charity of one's choice.
Posted in the Enterprise newspaper on October 15, 2014
Thank you to Vickie Oates Woods, member #47172707, for the obituary information
Jacob F. Blackburn of Falmouth, a former US State Department official who also spent many years designing computer systems for IBM, died on October 10. He was 95.
Born at home in Newton, North Carolina, he was the son of Lottie M. (Lael) Blackburn and Walter J. Blackburn.
Although he grew up poor, he was encouraged by his mother to go to college. He received his undergraduate degree from Lenoir Rhyne College in 1940 and later earned his PhD in mathematics from the University of North Carolina.
Mr. Blackburn served in the US Air Force as the weather officer for the 42d Bombardment Group in the Pacific during World War II, often flying in advance of bombing missions to ensure that the weather in the target area was acceptable.
While on leave in New Zealand, he met Beverley England, to whom he was married for 69 years.
In 1952 he was issued orders by the Air Force to study with Professor John von Neumann at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was trained in the use of electronic computers for numerical weather prediction. Later Mr. Blackburn was sent to the Air Force Numerical Prediction Project Atmospheric Lab in Cambridge, where he was a lecturer.
In January 1955 Mr. Blackburn became an associate professor at the new Air Force Academy at Lowry Field in Denver, where he helped prepare curriculum for the first class of cadets to enter the school in the summer of that year.
He went to work for IBM in 1956. He managed the IBM 704 at MIT and worked with MIT mathematicians in processing data used for tracking the first Sputnik satellite.
Mr Blackburn also designed and sold IBM computer systems used for rail passenger ticketing in Europe and atomic weapons testing in the Pacific Islands, and oversaw the planning and building of an IBM advanced education center near Brussels, Belgium.
After retiring from IBM in 1977 Mr. Blackburn went to work for the State Department as director of the Office of Technology Policy and Space Affairs in Europe. During this time, he and his wife lived in London and summered in Falmouth.
He retired in 1992 and moved to Falmouth full time in 2008. While in Falmouth, he was an active member of the Menauhant Yacht Club. He also enjoyed tennis, playing daily until he was 88.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Blackburn leaves a son, Gregg Blackburn and his wife, Karen Blackburn of East Falmouth and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; two grandsons, Christopher Blackburn, of Wayland and Winston Blackburn of Brooklyn, New York; two great-grandchildren, Henry and Georgia Blackburn; a brother, Asa Blackburn of Newton, North Carolina; two nieces, Teresa B. Peterson and Pamela B. Nelson; and two nephews, Richard C. Blackburn and Timothy D. Blackburn.
Mr. Blackburn was the brother of the late Thomas H. Blackburn and uncle of the late Patricia Erdman and Bruce R. Blackburn.
Services will be held in the spring
In lieu of flowers send donations to a charity of one's choice.
Posted in the Enterprise newspaper on October 15, 2014
Thank you to Vickie Oates Woods, member #47172707, for the obituary information
Born at home in Newton, North Carolina, he was the son of Lottie M. (Lael) Blackburn and Walter J. Blackburn.
Although he grew up poor, he was encouraged by his mother to go to college. He received his undergraduate degree from Lenoir Rhyne College in 1940 and later earned his PhD in mathematics from the University of North Carolina.
Mr. Blackburn served in the US Air Force as the weather officer for the 42d Bombardment Group in the Pacific during World War II, often flying in advance of bombing missions to ensure that the weather in the target area was acceptable.
While on leave in New Zealand, he met Beverley England, to whom he was married for 69 years.
In 1952 he was issued orders by the Air Force to study with Professor John von Neumann at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was trained in the use of electronic computers for numerical weather prediction. Later Mr. Blackburn was sent to the Air Force Numerical Prediction Project Atmospheric Lab in Cambridge, where he was a lecturer.
In January 1955 Mr. Blackburn became an associate professor at the new Air Force Academy at Lowry Field in Denver, where he helped prepare curriculum for the first class of cadets to enter the school in the summer of that year.
He went to work for IBM in 1956. He managed the IBM 704 at MIT and worked with MIT mathematicians in processing data used for tracking the first Sputnik satellite.
Mr Blackburn also designed and sold IBM computer systems used for rail passenger ticketing in Europe and atomic weapons testing in the Pacific Islands, and oversaw the planning and building of an IBM advanced education center near Brussels, Belgium.
After retiring from IBM in 1977 Mr. Blackburn went to work for the State Department as director of the Office of Technology Policy and Space Affairs in Europe. During this time, he and his wife lived in London and summered in Falmouth.
He retired in 1992 and moved to Falmouth full time in 2008. While in Falmouth, he was an active member of the Menauhant Yacht Club. He also enjoyed tennis, playing daily until he was 88.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Blackburn leaves a son, Gregg Blackburn and his wife, Karen Blackburn of East Falmouth and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; two grandsons, Christopher Blackburn, of Wayland and Winston Blackburn of Brooklyn, New York; two great-grandchildren, Henry and Georgia Blackburn; a brother, Asa Blackburn of Newton, North Carolina; two nieces, Teresa B. Peterson and Pamela B. Nelson; and two nephews, Richard C. Blackburn and Timothy D. Blackburn.
Mr. Blackburn was the brother of the late Thomas H. Blackburn and uncle of the late Patricia Erdman and Bruce R. Blackburn.
Services will be held in the spring
In lieu of flowers send donations to a charity of one's choice.
Posted in the Enterprise newspaper on October 15, 2014
Thank you to Vickie Oates Woods, member #47172707, for the obituary information
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