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Virginia Bernice Blackburn, 92, went to be with her Lord and Savior on February 17, 2014 in Duncan, Oklahoma. A celebration in honor of Virginia's life will be held on Saturday March 1, 2014 at 11:00AM at Grantham Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Randy Southerland and Rev. Cody Deevers officiating and under the direction of Don Grantham Funeral Home.
Virginia Bernice Blackburn was born on April 23, 1921 in Beggs, Oklahoma to Eva Alice (Barnes) Farnham and John Berry Farnham. She was the oldest of five children and the first in her family to graduate from college. She reached her education and professional goals with excellence. She graduated from Ada High School in May 1939 as Salutatorian of her class. This was followed by a Bachelors of Science degree in Education at East Central State College in May 1943. She then received her Masters of Science degree in August of 1969 and her Doctorate of Education in July of 1980 both at Oklahoma State University.
Virginia met her husband D. M. Blackburn, while they were both students at East Central in Ada. They were married on December 27, 1944 in Ada, Oklahoma while D. M. was on leave in his lieutenant's uniform. They were quite the handsome couple.
Mother was a teacher at heart, so she chose a teaching career where she touched the lives of students from kindergarten through college. She taught several years in Barnsdall, Oklahoma and many years in Dewey, Oklahoma in elementary schools and as a reading specialist. Upon receiving her doctorate, she began her career as a consultant for the State of Oklahoma Department of Education, primarily in Tulsa, Oklahoma to the Eastern half of the state. She loved to travel to all the schools to teach administrators and teachers with workshops. She continued to love her job until her retirement in her mid-70s. What a rewarding career! She would have former students recognize her and thank her for her love and devotion.
Even though she loved her professional career, it did not compare to the love and devotion she had for her family. She had four children and made sure each child know they were special and loved. She would have loved to have been more a part of her grandchildren and great grandchildren's lives, but distance made that difficult. She had a special love for all her family and tried to keep in touch.
Virginia lived in Bartlesville, Oklahoma from 1955-2012, until she moved to Sterling House in Duncan to be closer to her daughter, Cheryl. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville and true to her love for teaching children; she was a Sunday school teacher for many years.
She loved her home and working in her flower garden in Bartlesville. It was truly her passion for her beautifully landscaped garden. She made friends with her neighbors, Darla and Dan Jones, who were very helpful in her later years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Eva Alice and John Berry Farnham; her brothers, J. B. Farnham, Jerry Farnham, and Leon Farnham; sister-in-laws, Wanda Farnham and Mamie Farnham; her loving husband, D. M. Blackburn in August of 2001; and precious daughter, Martha Elaine Blackburn in September of 2009.
She will be greatly missed by her family.
She is survived by her son and his wife Kerry Don and Jean Blackburn of Seattle, Washington; daughter and her husband, Cheryl Ann and Ron Scifres of Velma, Oklahoma; daughter and her husband Susan Marie and Bill Sizemore of Albuquerque, New Mexico; five grandchildren, David Baldwin and his wife Jennifer, Angela Wainscott and her husband Wes, Megan Blackburn, Alex Sizemore, and Setasha Sizemore; four great grandchildren, Tristan Wainscott, Savanna Wainscott, Paige Wainscott, and Kyler Baldwin. She is also survived by her sister, Linda Nelson of Hobbs, New Mexico and sister-in-law, Donna Farnham of Napels, Florida.
The family has asked that memorials in Virginia's honor be made to the American Heart Association, American Alzheimer's Association or to The Salvation Army.
Online condolences may be made at www.granthamfuneralhomes.com
Virginia Bernice Blackburn, 92, went to be with her Lord and Savior on February 17, 2014 in Duncan, Oklahoma.
She was born on April 23, 1921 in Beggs, Oklahoma to Eva Alice {Barnes} Farnham and John Berry Farnham. She was the oldest of five children and the first in her family to graduate from college.
She reached her education and professional goals with excellence. She graduated from Ada High School in May 1939 as Salutatorian of her class. This was followed by a Bachelors of Science degree in Education at East Central State College in May 1943. She then received her Masters of Science degree in August of 1969 and her Doctorate of Education in July of 1980 both at Oklahoma State University.
Virginia met her husband D. M. Blackburn, while they were both students at East Central in Ada. They were married on December 27, 1944 in Ada, Oklahoma while D. M. was on leave in his lieutenant's uniform. They were quite the handsome couple.
Mother was a teacher at heart, so she chose a teaching career where she touched the lives of students from kindergarten through college. She taught several years in Barnsdall, Oklahoma and many years in Dewey, Oklahoma in elementary schools and as a reading specialist. Upon receiving her doctorate, she began her career as a consultant for the State of Oklahoma Department of Education, primarily in Tulsa, Oklahoma to the Eastern half of the state. She loved to travel to all the schools to teach administrators and teachers with workshops. She continued to love her job until her retirement in her mid-70s. What a rewarding career! She would have former students recognize her and thank her for her love and devotion.
Even though she loved her professional career, it did not compare to the love and devotion she had for her family. She had four children and made sure each child knew they were special and loved. She would have loved to have been more a part of her grandchildren and great grandchildren's lives, but distance made that difficult. She had a special love for all her family and tried to keep in touch.
Virginia lived in Bartlesville, Oklahoma from 1955-2012, until she moved to Sterling House in Duncan to be closer to her daughter, Cheryl. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville and true to her love for teaching children; she was a Sunday school teacher for many years.
She loved her home and working in her flower garden in Bartlesville. It was truly her passion for her beautifully landscaped garden. She made friends with her neighbors, Darla and Dan Jones, who were very helpful in her later years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Eva Alice and John Berry Farnham; her brothers, J. B. Farnham, Jerry Farnham, and Leon Farnham; sister-in-laws, Wanda Farnham and Mamie Farnham; her loving husband, D. M. Blackburn in August of 2001; and precious daughter, Martha Elaine Blackburn in September of 2009.
She will be greatly missed by her family. She is survived by her son and his wife Kerry Don and Jean Blackburn of Seattle, Washington; daughter and her husband, Cheryl Ann and Ron Scifres of Velma, Oklahoma; daughter and her husband Susan Marie and Bill Sizemore of Albuquerque, New Mexico; five grandchildren, David Baldwin and his wife Jennifer, Angela Wainscott and her husband Wes, Megan Blackburn, Alex Sizemore, and Setasha Sizemore; four great grandchildren, Tristan Wainscott, Savanna Wainscott, Paige Wainscott, and Kyler Baldwin. She is also survived by her sister, Linda Nelson of Hobbs, New Mexico and sister-in-law, Donna Farnham of Napels, Florida.
A celebration in honor of Virginia's life will be held on Saturday March 1, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Grantham Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Randy Southerland and Rev. Cody Deevers officiating and under the direction of Don Grantham Funeral Home. There is no visitation scheduled.
The family has asked that memorials in Virginia's honor be made to the American Heart Association, American Alzheimer's Association or to The Salvation Army.
Online condolences may be made at www.granthamfuneralhomes.com.
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