SULLIVAN COUNTY, TN - OBITUARIES - Ralph Blizard, 3 Dec 2004 ----¤¤¤---- H. Ralph Blizard BLOUNTVILLE – H. Ralph Blizard, 85, passed away peacefully at his home Friday, Dec. 3, 2004, with his family by his side. He grew up in Kingsport and graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School, but resided most of his life in Blountville. Mr. Blizard was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. He retired from the C.E. Division of Tennessee Eastman Company in 1980, with 39 years of service. Ralph received various awards for talent as a world class master fiddler, including the National Heritage Award presented by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Tennessee Governor’s Award for the Arts. He served on the Tennessee Arts Commission for five years and was co-founder of the Traditional Appalachian Music Heritage Association, an organization to preserve the musical heritage of the region. He supported the Friday Night Jam Sessions at Anderson House of Blountville and was a member of Blountville Presbyterian Church. Preceding him in death were his parents, Robert Houston and Jennie Willis Blizard, and two brothers, Aldrich Blizard and Roy Blizard. Surviving are his wife, Mildred Blizard, Blountville; two sons and daughters- in-law, David and Libby Blizard and Mark and Karen Blizard, all of Blountville; four grandchildren, Laura Blizard, Ryan Bos, Brittney Blizard and Erika Blizard; two sisters, Beatrice Moody, Concord, Va., and Joan Hinson, Cleveland, N.C.; one brother, Carl Blizard, Kingsport; and several nieces and nephews. Calling hours are 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, Kingsport. Funeral services will be conducted at 6 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home chapel, with Rev. John Everett officiating and the eulogy given by Dr. Doug Orr, president of Warren Wilson College in Asheville, N.C. Graveside services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at Gunnings Cemetery. Family and friends will meet at the cemetery at 12:50 p.m. Pallbearers will be Clarence Blackburn, Obia Carrier, Arthur Hensley, Charles Long, Greg Cornett, and Ryan Bos. Honorary pallbearers will be all of Ralph’s musician friends. Memorial contributions may be given to Warren Wilson College, Ralph Blizard Music Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 9000, Asheville, NC 28815; or to Blountville Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 424, Blountville, TN 37617; or Wellmont Hospice, 280 Steele’s Road, Bristol, TN 37620. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to all those who helped during Ralph’s illness. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Bristol Herald Courier http://www.bristolnews.com ___________________________________________________________________