Jerome Edward (Jerry) Blair, Jr, (COL. USAF-Ret.) of the 3300 block of Mapleton Crescent in Churchland, rejoined our Maker Sunday, August 1, 2004 at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. Jerry was the son of the late Gertrude Allen Blair and Jerome Edward Blair, Sr, and the husband of over 68 years to Martha Smith (Muff) Blair. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter Martha Blair (Ginger) Kingston, her husband Edward of Charlottesville, and his son Jerome Edward (Jeb) Blair III, his wife Marianne of Suffolk, two grandsons, two grand-daughters, and two great-grandchildren. Jerry was born in Portsmouth, VA December 14, 1911; graduated from Norfolks Maury High School in 1929; and The United States Military Academy at West Point in 1934. He received his Army Air Corps wings from flight school at Randolph and Kelly Fields, San Antonio, Texas in 1936. It was here he met the daughter of the squadron commander, determined she was to be his one-and-only, and married her February 15, 1936, before moving on in his military career to fly all fighter, bomber and transport types of aircraft, including thunder jets in Korea. Military aircraft and flight played a major role in the first portion of Jerrys life. His first child was born following an emergency flight of the mother transported in a litter in the bomb bay of a Keystone Bomber down from his fighter base in the hills, into pre-WWII Manila. He participated in the D-Day invasions, flying rescue missions retrieving the wounded from the beaches. He was assigned to the 474th Fighter Group in 1944, flying his favorite, the P-38 Lightning. Later duty stations brought him through many places, including Germany, France, Korea, Washington DC, and finally Norfolk, VA. Jerrys 1961 retirement from his military career while stationed at the Armed Forces Staff College, merely served as a launch pad for his career as an educator; assisting in the start up of Frederick College on the site of todays Tidewater Community College, Portsmouth campus. Serving both institutions sequentially as history professor, Registrar, Admissions Director, then retiring finally as Director of Information Services in 1977. Once again, a retirement provided a starting point for another opportunity to remain active; joining the Real Estate profession, selling and showing homes, but primarily and most importantly to Jerrymaking and helping new friends. Jerrys long standing involvement in civic service ran the gambit from Chairman of the Portsmouth Virginia Human Resources Commission between 1968 and 1972 ending with serving on the Chesapeake Virginia Criminal Justice Board between 1994 and 2000. Jerrys incessant and all pervading genuine interest in all people and all things provided a life rich in friendships and activities. Family, religion, education, music, art, government healthcare, communications, history, languages, very little of the world escaped his attention, study, and participation. Final arrangements are being handled through Snellings in Churchland. A memorial service will be held at St. Christophers Episcopal Church on Cedar Lane in Portsmouth on Tuesday, August 10 at 3:00 PM.