John Robert Blankinship was born in East St. Louis, Illinois to William Henry and Lillian Watson (Beckwith) Blankinship Jr. as their second child. His older brother, William Henry Blankinship III was four years older. John's father died when he was around 18 years old of a massive heart attack.
John grew up and went to school in the Belleview area of Illinois. He went into the military in 1965 or 1966. He was stationed at Johnston Atoll for six months and then at Vandenburg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California for approximately a year, as an aerial photographer.
He married his first wife, Sharon "Sherry" Jean Dickinson, on 27 May 1967 in Pleasant Hill, Ca. He was ordered to Panama by the Air Force in June 1967. Sharon arrived there in Sept. 1967. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth was born at Gorgas Hospital, Ancon Canal Zone, Panama on 13 July 1968.
John and Sharon lived through the military coup in Panama in the fall of 1968. The family returned to the U.S. in mid-Dec 1968. They spent about one month with John's mother, Lil, at her home in East Saint Louis, Illinois before moving to Isle Vista, California in Jan 1969. John began to attend Brooks Institute of Photography in Montecito, Ca. in Feb and graduated in 1971. He worked nights at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara as a janitor to provide for his family.
In 1970, the family moved to a small rented house in Santa Barbara near the courthouse. The following year, John and Sharon separated. Their divorce was finalized on 19 May 1972. Sharon re-married the same year. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth, was legally adopted by her step-father, Steven Harris, on 10 Jan 1973, after which, Sherry E. took the surname Harris.
See below for further information about John.
_______________________________________________________
In Memory of
John Robert Blankinship
May 13, 1942 - January 13, 2017
(Obituary)
John Robert Blankinship died in Houston, Texas, on Friday, January 13, 2017, after a brief illness. He was born in 1942 in East St. Louis, Illinois, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a photographer from 1966 to 1968 (corrected dates) at Johnston Atoll; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and the Canal Zone. Afterwards, John enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California, on the G.I. Bill. He earned a Bachelor of Professional Arts degree. From there, he started work as a photographer at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in Richland, Washington, where he met his future wife Ann Roberta Larson.
John and Ann moved to Houston, where John worked for several employers before retiring after 23 years at ExxonMobil as a technical photographer. John enjoyed tennis, vegetable gardening, and long camping trips all over the United States and Canada with Ann. He made many scenic photographs during these travels.
John is predeceased by his parents William Henry and Lilian Blankinship and by his brother William. He is survived by his wife Ann of 40 years, his daughter Sherry Elizabeth Harris of Palmdale, California, and his brother-in-law Allen Larson of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his cousins Michaela Beckwith of Bronston, Kentucky; John Beckwith and wife Marcia of Fairview Heights, Illinois; Larry Watson and wife Pat of Negley, Ohio; Jim Blankinship and wife Peg of San Diego, California; and Robert Beckwith and wife Dawn of Hamburg, Illinois.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Jan. 15, 2017
John was buried at Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas on 20 Jan 2017.
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John grew up and went to school in the Belleview area of Illinois. He went into the military in 1965 or 1966. He was stationed at Johnston Atoll for six months and then at Vandenburg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California for approximately a year, as an aerial photographer.
He married his first wife, Sharon "Sherry" Jean Dickinson, on 27 May 1967 in Pleasant Hill, Ca. He was ordered to Panama by the Air Force in June 1967. Sharon arrived there in Sept. 1967. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth was born at Gorgas Hospital, Ancon Canal Zone, Panama on 13 July 1968.
John and Sharon lived through the military coup in Panama in the fall of 1968. The family returned to the U.S. in mid-Dec 1968. They spent about one month with John's mother, Lil, at her home in East Saint Louis, Illinois before moving to Isle Vista, California in Jan 1969. John began to attend Brooks Institute of Photography in Montecito, Ca. in Feb and graduated in 1971. He worked nights at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara as a janitor to provide for his family.
In 1970, the family moved to a small rented house in Santa Barbara near the courthouse. The following year, John and Sharon separated. Their divorce was finalized on 19 May 1972. Sharon re-married the same year. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth, was legally adopted by her step-father, Steven Harris, on 10 Jan 1973, after which, Sherry E. took the surname Harris.
See below for further information about John.
_______________________________________________________
In Memory of
John Robert Blankinship
May 13, 1942 - January 13, 2017
(Obituary)
John Robert Blankinship died in Houston, Texas, on Friday, January 13, 2017, after a brief illness. He was born in 1942 in East St. Louis, Illinois, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a photographer from 1966 to 1968 (corrected dates) at Johnston Atoll; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and the Canal Zone. Afterwards, John enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California, on the G.I. Bill. He earned a Bachelor of Professional Arts degree. From there, he started work as a photographer at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in Richland, Washington, where he met his future wife Ann Roberta Larson.
John and Ann moved to Houston, where John worked for several employers before retiring after 23 years at ExxonMobil as a technical photographer. John enjoyed tennis, vegetable gardening, and long camping trips all over the United States and Canada with Ann. He made many scenic photographs during these travels.
John is predeceased by his parents William Henry and Lilian Blankinship and by his brother William. He is survived by his wife Ann of 40 years, his daughter Sherry Elizabeth Harris of Palmdale, California, and his brother-in-law Allen Larson of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his cousins Michaela Beckwith of Bronston, Kentucky; John Beckwith and wife Marcia of Fairview Heights, Illinois; Larry Watson and wife Pat of Negley, Ohio; Jim Blankinship and wife Peg of San Diego, California; and Robert Beckwith and wife Dawn of Hamburg, Illinois.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Jan. 15, 2017
John was buried at Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas on 20 Jan 2017.
-----------------------------------------------
John Robert Blankinship was born in East St. Louis, Illinois to William Henry and Lillian Watson (Beckwith) Blankinship Jr. as their second child. His older brother, William Henry Blankinship III was four years older. John's father died when he was around 18 years old of a massive heart attack.
John grew up and went to school in the Belleview area of Illinois. He went into the military in 1965 or 1966. He was stationed at Johnston Atoll for six months and then at Vandenburg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California for approximately a year, as an aerial photographer.
He married his first wife, Sharon "Sherry" Jean Dickinson, on 27 May 1967 in Pleasant Hill, Ca. He was ordered to Panama by the Air Force in June 1967. Sharon arrived there in Sept. 1967. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth was born at Gorgas Hospital, Ancon Canal Zone, Panama on 13 July 1968.
John and Sharon lived through the military coup in Panama in the fall of 1968. The family returned to the U.S. in mid-Dec 1968. They spent about one month with John's mother, Lil, at her home in East Saint Louis, Illinois before moving to Isle Vista, California in Jan 1969. John began to attend Brooks Institute of Photography in Montecito, Ca. in Feb and graduated in 1971. He worked nights at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara as a janitor to provide for his family.
In 1970, the family moved to a small rented house in Santa Barbara near the courthouse. The following year, John and Sharon separated. Their divorce was finalized on 19 May 1972. Sharon re-married the same year. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth, was legally adopted by her step-father, Steven Harris, on 10 Jan 1973, after which, Sherry E. took the surname Harris.
See below for further information about John.
_______________________________________________________
In Memory of
John Robert Blankinship
May 13, 1942 - January 13, 2017
(Obituary)
John Robert Blankinship died in Houston, Texas, on Friday, January 13, 2017, after a brief illness. He was born in 1942 in East St. Louis, Illinois, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a photographer from 1966 to 1968 (corrected dates) at Johnston Atoll; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and the Canal Zone. Afterwards, John enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California, on the G.I. Bill. He earned a Bachelor of Professional Arts degree. From there, he started work as a photographer at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in Richland, Washington, where he met his future wife Ann Roberta Larson.
John and Ann moved to Houston, where John worked for several employers before retiring after 23 years at ExxonMobil as a technical photographer. John enjoyed tennis, vegetable gardening, and long camping trips all over the United States and Canada with Ann. He made many scenic photographs during these travels.
John is predeceased by his parents William Henry and Lilian Blankinship and by his brother William. He is survived by his wife Ann of 40 years, his daughter Sherry Elizabeth Harris of Palmdale, California, and his brother-in-law Allen Larson of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his cousins Michaela Beckwith of Bronston, Kentucky; John Beckwith and wife Marcia of Fairview Heights, Illinois; Larry Watson and wife Pat of Negley, Ohio; Jim Blankinship and wife Peg of San Diego, California; and Robert Beckwith and wife Dawn of Hamburg, Illinois.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Jan. 15, 2017
John was buried at Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas on 20 Jan 2017.
-----------------------------------------------
John grew up and went to school in the Belleview area of Illinois. He went into the military in 1965 or 1966. He was stationed at Johnston Atoll for six months and then at Vandenburg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California for approximately a year, as an aerial photographer.
He married his first wife, Sharon "Sherry" Jean Dickinson, on 27 May 1967 in Pleasant Hill, Ca. He was ordered to Panama by the Air Force in June 1967. Sharon arrived there in Sept. 1967. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth was born at Gorgas Hospital, Ancon Canal Zone, Panama on 13 July 1968.
John and Sharon lived through the military coup in Panama in the fall of 1968. The family returned to the U.S. in mid-Dec 1968. They spent about one month with John's mother, Lil, at her home in East Saint Louis, Illinois before moving to Isle Vista, California in Jan 1969. John began to attend Brooks Institute of Photography in Montecito, Ca. in Feb and graduated in 1971. He worked nights at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara as a janitor to provide for his family.
In 1970, the family moved to a small rented house in Santa Barbara near the courthouse. The following year, John and Sharon separated. Their divorce was finalized on 19 May 1972. Sharon re-married the same year. Their daughter, Sherry Elizabeth, was legally adopted by her step-father, Steven Harris, on 10 Jan 1973, after which, Sherry E. took the surname Harris.
See below for further information about John.
_______________________________________________________
In Memory of
John Robert Blankinship
May 13, 1942 - January 13, 2017
(Obituary)
John Robert Blankinship died in Houston, Texas, on Friday, January 13, 2017, after a brief illness. He was born in 1942 in East St. Louis, Illinois, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a photographer from 1966 to 1968 (corrected dates) at Johnston Atoll; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and the Canal Zone. Afterwards, John enrolled at Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California, on the G.I. Bill. He earned a Bachelor of Professional Arts degree. From there, he started work as a photographer at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories in Richland, Washington, where he met his future wife Ann Roberta Larson.
John and Ann moved to Houston, where John worked for several employers before retiring after 23 years at ExxonMobil as a technical photographer. John enjoyed tennis, vegetable gardening, and long camping trips all over the United States and Canada with Ann. He made many scenic photographs during these travels.
John is predeceased by his parents William Henry and Lilian Blankinship and by his brother William. He is survived by his wife Ann of 40 years, his daughter Sherry Elizabeth Harris of Palmdale, California, and his brother-in-law Allen Larson of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his cousins Michaela Beckwith of Bronston, Kentucky; John Beckwith and wife Marcia of Fairview Heights, Illinois; Larry Watson and wife Pat of Negley, Ohio; Jim Blankinship and wife Peg of San Diego, California; and Robert Beckwith and wife Dawn of Hamburg, Illinois.
Published in Houston Chronicle on Jan. 15, 2017
John was buried at Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas on 20 Jan 2017.
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