Kern County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Blanton, David William December 28 2004 ********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/obits/obitsca/obitsca.htm ********************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: K T bluewolf@onemain.com January 5, 2005, 10:43 pm The Bakersfield Californian David William Blanton Oct. 23, 1911 - Dec. 28, 2004 IN LOVING MEMORY Funeral services were held for David William Blanton of Bakersfield, California on Thursday, December 30, 2004 at Greenlawn Southwest Mortuary on Panama Lane at 10:00 a.m., officiated by his friend Gene Archer. David is resting in Greenlawn Southwest Cemetery next to his wife Lenora. He was born in Abilene, Texas to his parents David Elijah and Alzada (Creech) Blanton of Texas. In the early 1920s Davids family moved to Grayson County, Texas where David grew and attended Whitesboro High School. He excelled as Whitesboros golden boy as he participated in football, pole vaulting and boxing. In high school he also acquired certificates in Accounting and Typing; he graduated high school in 1930. He married in 1934 his only wife and to quote David the prettiest girl in town Lenora Belle Dillon of Whitesboro, TX. They went to California in 1937 and remained in Kern County for the duration of their lives, they were married 55 years. David first worked raking and baling hay for many of the local Kern County farmers. He enjoyed making music with other musicians, he was talented in playing the mandolin, banjo and piano, they entertained at the dances at the old Quonset hut in Pumpkin Center, CA, Kern County Fair and other various places around Kern County. He later hired on with Richfield Oil Company and retired from Arco. He was raised in the Methodist affiliation; he was a member of The Sons of the Republic of Texas, the grandson of David Robert Blanton a veteran of the Civil War. David W. helped establish a baseline for his Blanton Family heritage becoming the first to participate in the year 2000 in the nationwide Blanton family DNA Analysis Project and helping to pioneer a relatively new field of Genetic Genealogy and thus proving his family heritage back to Colonial America as early as 1637. He held a private pilots license, he was a lover of the outdoors, enjoying many sports such as fishing the Kern River and the deep sea, and at one time he was an avid rock hound and prospected for uranium. He continued to drive his car to visit Las Vegas until recently. He was an honorary member of the VFW Post 97 and known there as Little Dave. He had a generous spirit and helped many people throughout his lifetime, he will be dearly missed by those who knew him. He loved California and he loved Kern County and was always amazed at the growth and progress he witnessed while residing the majority of his 93 years in his chosen State and town. He is predeceased by 3 brothers and one sister of Texas, his wife, Lenora; his son, Gerald David and daughter, Beverly Ann Blanton. He is survived by daughters, Mrs. Donna Jenelle (Blanton) Wilcox and Karin Marcois of Bakersfield, CA; three grandchildren, Mardi L. Shadden of Bakersfield, Jason C. Steck of Atascadero, Ca and Asheley A. Louk of Long Beach, CA; four great- grandchildren and one great-great-grandson. Pallbearers were son-in-law, Gary Wilcox, Jason Steck, grandson-in-law, Jerry Shadden, Josh Marcois, Josh Schweitzer and longtime friend of 47 years Wallace Benefield. The family members of David Blanton wish again to thank the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 97 and all the caring nurses, doctors and healthcare providers for their understanding and professional care given to David and his family members. He lived, he loved, he laughed. We love you Papa. Greenlawn Southwest Mortuary Funeral Directors Additional Comments: Volunteer submission - No relation to deceased. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/kern/obits/gob4294blanton.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/caobfiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb