Sussex-Surry-Gloucester County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Bland, Rev. L. Preston Jr., 1989 

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REV. LINEOUS PRESTON BLAND, JR. 

  WAKEFIELD - The Rev. Lineous Preston Bland, Jr., 88, died Saturday, March 
11, in Maryview Hospital in Portsmouth. 

  He was born in Gloucester.

  He served in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church for 44 
years and retired in 1970.

  He served as pastor in Tappahanock, Albemarle, Wakefield, Claremont, 
Standardsville, Keysville, Clarksville, Gretna and Kenbridge.  He was a member 
of Rocky Hock United Methodist Church in Wakefield.  He was a member of the 
Farmers Hunt Club, the Wakefield Ruritan Club and the King and Queen Historic 
Society.

  He attended Randolph-Macon College and graduated from Roanoke College.

  Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. Nan B. Seeley Jr. of Wakefield; three 
sons, L.P. Bland III of Portsmouth, Ben P. Bland of Plano, Texas and James L. 
Bland of Richmond, 11 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

  A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Wakefield United 
Methodist Church by the Revs. Jess V. Staton, Paul C. Baily, Robert L. 
Consolvo and Jerry Edwards.  Burial will be in Wakefield Cemetery.

  The family will be at the residence at Route 1 near Wakefield.

  The family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of 
contributions to the Ethel Heckman Bland Music Award Fund, c/o Mrs. J.C. 
Whitmore Jr., Route 1, Box 156, Wakefield, 23888.

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ROCKY HOCK CHURCH BULLETIN - REMEMBERING: 

REVEREND LINEOUS PRESTON BLAND - 1900 - 1989 

  The Reverend L.P. Bland served Rocky Hock Church from 1952 - 1963.  Mr. 
Bland is the longest, continuously serving pastor that the church has ever 
had.  Mr. Bland was instrumental in the 1954 renovations at Rocky Hock Church, 
and the two pulpit pews used by the ministers were given in appreciation of 
Reverend Bland and wife, Ethel Heckman Bland, for their untiring efforts 
during this building program.

  Mr. Bland was a minister for 44 years in the Virginia Conference, and upon 
retirement he chose the Rocky Hock community in which to live and build a 
home.  He became a member of Rocky Hock United Methodist Church.  During these 
years, he served on the Administrative Board and was a Sunday school teacher. 
Mrs. Bland always played the piano and organ when needed at church and helped 
with the choir as music was her love.  There was an award named for Ethel 
Heckman Bland given to graduating seniors who had demonstrated the love of 
music as Mrs. Bland had.  Her love and gift of music was passed on to her 
daughter, Nan Bland Seeley.

  Many people do not know that Reverend Bland also had the title "Coach 
Bland."  Early in his ministry in 1945, he coached a high school basketball 
team in Gretna, Virginia.  Through coaching, he felt he could lead young 
people into the church.  His team won countywide and statewide recognition 
that year, and Reverend Bland was proud of the fact that Hampton-Sydney 
College recruited four of his five starters!

  Reverend Bland was one of the most well-liked and well-respected persons in 
the community.  He was active in several civic organizations and was beloved 
by persons of all ages.  He was a friend to all who knew him, always putting 
others first.  Think hard, and you can almost see and hear Reverend Bland, 
Stanley Brantley, Sr. and Sol Jenkins joking and kidding each other as they 
often did.

  Reverend and Mrs. Bland are buried in the Wakefield Cemetery.  

  Thanks to Nan Seeley and Gayle Boykin Lanier for the information and 
pictures. 


Rev. Lineous Preston BLAND, Jr., retired Methodist minister, 
b. 29 Sep 1900, Gloucester Co., d. 11 Mar 1989, Portsmouth, 
interred in Wakefield Cemetery*, 15 Mar 1989, 
"The Daily Press" (Newport News, VA), Mar. 13, 1989, p. 14; 
Rocky Hock United Methodist Church bulletin 

*Wakefield list, an extension of the 
   Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/cemeteries/wakefd.txt 

Find a Grave Mem. #127830569 

His wife's obit ("Daily Press," Dec. 21, 1978, p. 62) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/b453e2ob.txt 

His parents are buried in Olive Branch Methodist Church Cemetery, 
   Harcum, Gloucester Co. (Find a Grave Mem. #194484975 &c.) 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/obits/b453p1ob.txt