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Norman C. Blankinship, 71, of Amarillo died Friday, July 21, 2006.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday in St. Stephen United Methodist Church with Dr. Bill Fleming officiating. Burial will be in Llano Cemetery by Cox-LaGrone Funeral Home, 4180 Canyon Drive.
Mr. Blankinship was born Aug. 8, 1934, in Anadarko, Okla., and was raised in Anadarko. He graduated from Anadarko High School in 1952 and went to work in the oilfield as a roughneck after graduation. He later worked for Totco.
He married his high school sweetheart, Jerrie Landes, on Sept. 17, 1952, in Anadarko.
During his senior year in high school, he received a commission as an honorary colonel on the Oklahoma governor's staff for his aid in saving the life of Caddo County clerk Jack Vandeventer in a farming accident.
He and a business partner purchased four Pizza Hut Franchises in 1965, and Norman and Jerrie moved to Amarillo that same year with the businesses.
The Blankinships franchised 196 Pizza Huts around the world at one time. Their first Pizza Hut was located in Amarillo across from Tascosa High School, where they rolled the dough with a hand-roller and served drinks from a "pop-box."
They also developed the first Pizza Huts on the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Alaska and the Virgin Islands.
Norman and Jerrie also developed and franchised more than 20 Mr. Burgers throughout the United States. He also owned and managed N.B. Distribution Center in Amarillo, which warehoused and serviced Pizza Hut and Mr. Burger restaurants weekly.
He was involved in farming and ranching, owned 440 Ranches in Denton, which was a breeding operation for many All-American Futurity winners.
He was a board member of Texas Commerce Bank in Amarillo, San Benito Bank and Trust in San Benito and Fossil Oil and Gas Co. in Oklahoma City. He loved to hunt and fish and had been an active member of St. Stephen United Methodist Church for many years. He was known for treating everyone the same, no matter what walk of life they came from.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Nettie Blankinship.
Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Kathy Blankinship, Kristy Hudson and husband Robert and Bari Riggs, all of Amarillo; eight grandchildren, Krystal Moore, Jason Hudson, Ryan Riggs, Ashlyn Williams, Beau Riggs, Chad Hudson, William Riggin and Bret Hudson, all of Amarillo; two brothers; two sisters; and eight great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be to St. Stephen United Methodist Church or a favorite charity.
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