My grandfather Donald Lee "Don" Blackhurst was born on September 8, 1928 in Cass, West Virginia. He was the second son and third child born to Henry O'Dell "Bop" and Mary Ethel Blackhurst. He grew up working alongside his father Bop and grandfather Harry in the family's carpentry business. Harry Blackhurst was an immigrant from Tunstall, Staffordshire, England, coming to the U.S. in 1886 with his parents and siblings.
Grandpa always loved to build things, and would help his father make bookshelves, chests, tables, and other wooden furniture starting at the young age of seven. Thus, it was no surprise that Donald and his younger brother joined the auto mechanics' club while students at DuPont High School in Belle, West Virginia. My grandfather was a very diligent student, and while in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society. Don went on to major in electrical engineering at the University of West Virginia at Morgantown, and became the only one of his siblings to graduate from college. While Don was in high school and college, he worked at the DuPont nuclear power plant in Belle, West Virginia with his father and brothers.
Grandma still loves to tell the story of how she and Grandpa Don met, back when she was Phyllis Cormany. While she was a high school student in Marion, Virginia, Phyllis would periodically visit her Aunt Bessie in Belle, West Virginia. During these visits, they would go to the same church as the Blackhursts, and sing duets as part of the church service; Bessie would sing soprano, and Grandma would sing alto. On one particular Sunday, Phyllis was wearing a bright red dress, and young Donald was immediately smitten. After the service, his father Henry, trying his best to stifle a giggle, told him, "Son, I think you ought to go talk to that red bird over there." He followed his father's advice, and found the love of his life. On one evening, after they had dated for about two years, Phyllis and Don were sitting on the chair swing on the front porch of the Cormany residence in Marion, Virginia, gazing at the sunset. Phyllis's seven-year-old brother Denton decided to spy on them, and hid in the bushes nearby. Their widowed grandmother, Alberta Cormany, spied on the couple from the kitchen. Their curiosity was rewarded when they saw Donald propose to his sweetheart.
Donald and Phyllis were married on October 5, 1952 in Centenary Methodist Church in Marion, Virginia. The church had been around for many years, but their wedding was the first one to take place there. They would go on to have three girls and one boy; my mother and her twin brother, Donald, Jr., were the youngest, born in 1964. Grandma and Grandpa would be married for nearly thirty years.
Although my grandfather was not very tall at 5'8," he had a great big heart of gold. Don was a doting father to my mother and her three siblings. He taught all of them how to drive, took them on countless road trips, and sat in the front row with Grandma at the high school graduations of their two eldest daughters. He also mentored many local children who had lost their fathers in Korea and Vietnam.
Sadly, my grandfather would not live to see my mom and uncle go to college, or the births of his grandchildren. In April of 1982, just one month before their graduation, Grandpa went to be with Jesus when his colon cancer returned after 17 years of remission. He was survived by his parents, his widow Phyllis and their four children, his two brothers, numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews, and his sister Faye Julia Copen. Grandma joined him in Heaven on October 9, 2014.
Grandpa always loved to build things, and would help his father make bookshelves, chests, tables, and other wooden furniture starting at the young age of seven. Thus, it was no surprise that Donald and his younger brother joined the auto mechanics' club while students at DuPont High School in Belle, West Virginia. My grandfather was a very diligent student, and while in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society. Don went on to major in electrical engineering at the University of West Virginia at Morgantown, and became the only one of his siblings to graduate from college. While Don was in high school and college, he worked at the DuPont nuclear power plant in Belle, West Virginia with his father and brothers.
Grandma still loves to tell the story of how she and Grandpa Don met, back when she was Phyllis Cormany. While she was a high school student in Marion, Virginia, Phyllis would periodically visit her Aunt Bessie in Belle, West Virginia. During these visits, they would go to the same church as the Blackhursts, and sing duets as part of the church service; Bessie would sing soprano, and Grandma would sing alto. On one particular Sunday, Phyllis was wearing a bright red dress, and young Donald was immediately smitten. After the service, his father Henry, trying his best to stifle a giggle, told him, "Son, I think you ought to go talk to that red bird over there." He followed his father's advice, and found the love of his life. On one evening, after they had dated for about two years, Phyllis and Don were sitting on the chair swing on the front porch of the Cormany residence in Marion, Virginia, gazing at the sunset. Phyllis's seven-year-old brother Denton decided to spy on them, and hid in the bushes nearby. Their widowed grandmother, Alberta Cormany, spied on the couple from the kitchen. Their curiosity was rewarded when they saw Donald propose to his sweetheart.
Donald and Phyllis were married on October 5, 1952 in Centenary Methodist Church in Marion, Virginia. The church had been around for many years, but their wedding was the first one to take place there. They would go on to have three girls and one boy; my mother and her twin brother, Donald, Jr., were the youngest, born in 1964. Grandma and Grandpa would be married for nearly thirty years.
Although my grandfather was not very tall at 5'8," he had a great big heart of gold. Don was a doting father to my mother and her three siblings. He taught all of them how to drive, took them on countless road trips, and sat in the front row with Grandma at the high school graduations of their two eldest daughters. He also mentored many local children who had lost their fathers in Korea and Vietnam.
Sadly, my grandfather would not live to see my mom and uncle go to college, or the births of his grandchildren. In April of 1982, just one month before their graduation, Grandpa went to be with Jesus when his colon cancer returned after 17 years of remission. He was survived by his parents, his widow Phyllis and their four children, his two brothers, numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews, and his sister Faye Julia Copen. Grandma joined him in Heaven on October 9, 2014.
My grandfather Donald Lee "Don" Blackhurst was born on September 8, 1928 in Cass, West Virginia. He was the second son and third child born to Henry O'Dell "Bop" and Mary Ethel Blackhurst. He grew up working alongside his father Bop and grandfather Harry in the family's carpentry business. Harry Blackhurst was an immigrant from Tunstall, Staffordshire, England, coming to the U.S. in 1886 with his parents and siblings.
Grandpa always loved to build things, and would help his father make bookshelves, chests, tables, and other wooden furniture starting at the young age of seven. Thus, it was no surprise that Donald and his younger brother joined the auto mechanics' club while students at DuPont High School in Belle, West Virginia. My grandfather was a very diligent student, and while in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society. Don went on to major in electrical engineering at the University of West Virginia at Morgantown, and became the only one of his siblings to graduate from college. While Don was in high school and college, he worked at the DuPont nuclear power plant in Belle, West Virginia with his father and brothers.
Grandma still loves to tell the story of how she and Grandpa Don met, back when she was Phyllis Cormany. While she was a high school student in Marion, Virginia, Phyllis would periodically visit her Aunt Bessie in Belle, West Virginia. During these visits, they would go to the same church as the Blackhursts, and sing duets as part of the church service; Bessie would sing soprano, and Grandma would sing alto. On one particular Sunday, Phyllis was wearing a bright red dress, and young Donald was immediately smitten. After the service, his father Henry, trying his best to stifle a giggle, told him, "Son, I think you ought to go talk to that red bird over there." He followed his father's advice, and found the love of his life. On one evening, after they had dated for about two years, Phyllis and Don were sitting on the chair swing on the front porch of the Cormany residence in Marion, Virginia, gazing at the sunset. Phyllis's seven-year-old brother Denton decided to spy on them, and hid in the bushes nearby. Their widowed grandmother, Alberta Cormany, spied on the couple from the kitchen. Their curiosity was rewarded when they saw Donald propose to his sweetheart.
Donald and Phyllis were married on October 5, 1952 in Centenary Methodist Church in Marion, Virginia. The church had been around for many years, but their wedding was the first one to take place there. They would go on to have three girls and one boy; my mother and her twin brother, Donald, Jr., were the youngest, born in 1964. Grandma and Grandpa would be married for nearly thirty years.
Although my grandfather was not very tall at 5'8," he had a great big heart of gold. Don was a doting father to my mother and her three siblings. He taught all of them how to drive, took them on countless road trips, and sat in the front row with Grandma at the high school graduations of their two eldest daughters. He also mentored many local children who had lost their fathers in Korea and Vietnam.
Sadly, my grandfather would not live to see my mom and uncle go to college, or the births of his grandchildren. In April of 1982, just one month before their graduation, Grandpa went to be with Jesus when his colon cancer returned after 17 years of remission. He was survived by his parents, his widow Phyllis and their four children, his two brothers, numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews, and his sister Faye Julia Copen. Grandma joined him in Heaven on October 9, 2014.
Grandpa always loved to build things, and would help his father make bookshelves, chests, tables, and other wooden furniture starting at the young age of seven. Thus, it was no surprise that Donald and his younger brother joined the auto mechanics' club while students at DuPont High School in Belle, West Virginia. My grandfather was a very diligent student, and while in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society. Don went on to major in electrical engineering at the University of West Virginia at Morgantown, and became the only one of his siblings to graduate from college. While Don was in high school and college, he worked at the DuPont nuclear power plant in Belle, West Virginia with his father and brothers.
Grandma still loves to tell the story of how she and Grandpa Don met, back when she was Phyllis Cormany. While she was a high school student in Marion, Virginia, Phyllis would periodically visit her Aunt Bessie in Belle, West Virginia. During these visits, they would go to the same church as the Blackhursts, and sing duets as part of the church service; Bessie would sing soprano, and Grandma would sing alto. On one particular Sunday, Phyllis was wearing a bright red dress, and young Donald was immediately smitten. After the service, his father Henry, trying his best to stifle a giggle, told him, "Son, I think you ought to go talk to that red bird over there." He followed his father's advice, and found the love of his life. On one evening, after they had dated for about two years, Phyllis and Don were sitting on the chair swing on the front porch of the Cormany residence in Marion, Virginia, gazing at the sunset. Phyllis's seven-year-old brother Denton decided to spy on them, and hid in the bushes nearby. Their widowed grandmother, Alberta Cormany, spied on the couple from the kitchen. Their curiosity was rewarded when they saw Donald propose to his sweetheart.
Donald and Phyllis were married on October 5, 1952 in Centenary Methodist Church in Marion, Virginia. The church had been around for many years, but their wedding was the first one to take place there. They would go on to have three girls and one boy; my mother and her twin brother, Donald, Jr., were the youngest, born in 1964. Grandma and Grandpa would be married for nearly thirty years.
Although my grandfather was not very tall at 5'8," he had a great big heart of gold. Don was a doting father to my mother and her three siblings. He taught all of them how to drive, took them on countless road trips, and sat in the front row with Grandma at the high school graduations of their two eldest daughters. He also mentored many local children who had lost their fathers in Korea and Vietnam.
Sadly, my grandfather would not live to see my mom and uncle go to college, or the births of his grandchildren. In April of 1982, just one month before their graduation, Grandpa went to be with Jesus when his colon cancer returned after 17 years of remission. He was survived by his parents, his widow Phyllis and their four children, his two brothers, numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews, and his sister Faye Julia Copen. Grandma joined him in Heaven on October 9, 2014.
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