William Harold Blanton, 86, of Springfield, MO, passed away Thursday, Feb. 17, 2005, at Primrose Place following a brief illness.
He was born in Chanute KS, on August 22, 1918 to Clyde Anderson and Lena Mabel (Bowers) Blanton. He graduated from Chanute Senior High School and Chanute Junior College. Born into a Santa Fe Railroad family, He would take many train rides west to visit his older brother, Howard Clyde Blanton, who resided in La Habra, CA and preceded him in death. His love of travel nearly took him to Africa as a member of the Martin & Osa Johnson Safari team. At the age of sixteen, Osa, who was from Chanute, asked him to join them on the next safari. Bill was forced to decline the offer in order to finish his high school studies.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in early 1941 and was attending communications training when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Assignment to duty to the Aleutian Islands (Shemya) as part of a select joint Army/Navy communications unit came rather quickly. Later in his Aleutian assignment he was involved in the support of the Battle of Attu, which is possibly the only WWII battle actually fought on the U.S. North American continent. One of his most memorable moments was taking a message over flashing light from the USS Indianapolis.
Following the war, he returned to Chanute, and eventually began a 31 year career in the insurance industry with MetLife. He was a senior instructor with the Life Underwriter Training Council (LUTC) serving as chairman for a number of years and a member of the Million Dollar Rountable.
Bill was a past president of the Jaycees in Coffeyville, KS and served many years as a member of the Springfield, MO City Board of Adjustments. He was a life member of the Elks Lodge serving over 10 years at the treasurer of lodge 409, a free mason (Blue Lodge) and was later inducted into the Mystic Shrine (Abou Ben Adhem Temple). He enjoyed golf for many years and was a personal friend of professional golfer Payne Stewart and his family.
Bill was survived by his wife, Marjorie Jean (DeBolt) Blanton of 62 years and his only child, Jim, who resides in Seattle, WA, with his wife Patricia.
He was born in Chanute KS, on August 22, 1918 to Clyde Anderson and Lena Mabel (Bowers) Blanton. He graduated from Chanute Senior High School and Chanute Junior College. Born into a Santa Fe Railroad family, He would take many train rides west to visit his older brother, Howard Clyde Blanton, who resided in La Habra, CA and preceded him in death. His love of travel nearly took him to Africa as a member of the Martin & Osa Johnson Safari team. At the age of sixteen, Osa, who was from Chanute, asked him to join them on the next safari. Bill was forced to decline the offer in order to finish his high school studies.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in early 1941 and was attending communications training when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Assignment to duty to the Aleutian Islands (Shemya) as part of a select joint Army/Navy communications unit came rather quickly. Later in his Aleutian assignment he was involved in the support of the Battle of Attu, which is possibly the only WWII battle actually fought on the U.S. North American continent. One of his most memorable moments was taking a message over flashing light from the USS Indianapolis.
Following the war, he returned to Chanute, and eventually began a 31 year career in the insurance industry with MetLife. He was a senior instructor with the Life Underwriter Training Council (LUTC) serving as chairman for a number of years and a member of the Million Dollar Rountable.
Bill was a past president of the Jaycees in Coffeyville, KS and served many years as a member of the Springfield, MO City Board of Adjustments. He was a life member of the Elks Lodge serving over 10 years at the treasurer of lodge 409, a free mason (Blue Lodge) and was later inducted into the Mystic Shrine (Abou Ben Adhem Temple). He enjoyed golf for many years and was a personal friend of professional golfer Payne Stewart and his family.
Bill was survived by his wife, Marjorie Jean (DeBolt) Blanton of 62 years and his only child, Jim, who resides in Seattle, WA, with his wife Patricia.
William Harold Blanton, 86, of Springfield, MO, passed away Thursday, Feb. 17, 2005, at Primrose Place following a brief illness.
He was born in Chanute KS, on August 22, 1918 to Clyde Anderson and Lena Mabel (Bowers) Blanton. He graduated from Chanute Senior High School and Chanute Junior College. Born into a Santa Fe Railroad family, He would take many train rides west to visit his older brother, Howard Clyde Blanton, who resided in La Habra, CA and preceded him in death. His love of travel nearly took him to Africa as a member of the Martin & Osa Johnson Safari team. At the age of sixteen, Osa, who was from Chanute, asked him to join them on the next safari. Bill was forced to decline the offer in order to finish his high school studies.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in early 1941 and was attending communications training when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Assignment to duty to the Aleutian Islands (Shemya) as part of a select joint Army/Navy communications unit came rather quickly. Later in his Aleutian assignment he was involved in the support of the Battle of Attu, which is possibly the only WWII battle actually fought on the U.S. North American continent. One of his most memorable moments was taking a message over flashing light from the USS Indianapolis.
Following the war, he returned to Chanute, and eventually began a 31 year career in the insurance industry with MetLife. He was a senior instructor with the Life Underwriter Training Council (LUTC) serving as chairman for a number of years and a member of the Million Dollar Rountable.
Bill was a past president of the Jaycees in Coffeyville, KS and served many years as a member of the Springfield, MO City Board of Adjustments. He was a life member of the Elks Lodge serving over 10 years at the treasurer of lodge 409, a free mason (Blue Lodge) and was later inducted into the Mystic Shrine (Abou Ben Adhem Temple). He enjoyed golf for many years and was a personal friend of professional golfer Payne Stewart and his family.
Bill was survived by his wife, Marjorie Jean (DeBolt) Blanton of 62 years and his only child, Jim, who resides in Seattle, WA, with his wife Patricia.
He was born in Chanute KS, on August 22, 1918 to Clyde Anderson and Lena Mabel (Bowers) Blanton. He graduated from Chanute Senior High School and Chanute Junior College. Born into a Santa Fe Railroad family, He would take many train rides west to visit his older brother, Howard Clyde Blanton, who resided in La Habra, CA and preceded him in death. His love of travel nearly took him to Africa as a member of the Martin & Osa Johnson Safari team. At the age of sixteen, Osa, who was from Chanute, asked him to join them on the next safari. Bill was forced to decline the offer in order to finish his high school studies.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in early 1941 and was attending communications training when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Assignment to duty to the Aleutian Islands (Shemya) as part of a select joint Army/Navy communications unit came rather quickly. Later in his Aleutian assignment he was involved in the support of the Battle of Attu, which is possibly the only WWII battle actually fought on the U.S. North American continent. One of his most memorable moments was taking a message over flashing light from the USS Indianapolis.
Following the war, he returned to Chanute, and eventually began a 31 year career in the insurance industry with MetLife. He was a senior instructor with the Life Underwriter Training Council (LUTC) serving as chairman for a number of years and a member of the Million Dollar Rountable.
Bill was a past president of the Jaycees in Coffeyville, KS and served many years as a member of the Springfield, MO City Board of Adjustments. He was a life member of the Elks Lodge serving over 10 years at the treasurer of lodge 409, a free mason (Blue Lodge) and was later inducted into the Mystic Shrine (Abou Ben Adhem Temple). He enjoyed golf for many years and was a personal friend of professional golfer Payne Stewart and his family.
Bill was survived by his wife, Marjorie Jean (DeBolt) Blanton of 62 years and his only child, Jim, who resides in Seattle, WA, with his wife Patricia.
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