Obituaries

Mr. Fred James Blackburn, Jr., age 82, of Alexis-High Shoals Road, Dallas, died Thursday, July 26, 2012 at home with his family at his side.

His funeral will be 3:00 p.m. Sunday, July 29, 2012 in the Warlick Funeral Home Chapel.  Entombment will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Lincolnton.  The family will receive friends from 1:30 p.m. until 2:45 p.m. Sunday, July 29, 2012 prior to the service at Warlick Funeral Home.

Mr. Blackburn was born on November 2, 1929 in the Blackburn community of Catawba County to the late Frederick and Sarah Wilfong Blackburn. He was owner/operator of Suburban Well Drillers for 50 years until his retirement.  He was a US Army veteran of the Korean War and loved NASCAR and dirt track racing.  Throughout his life he was known for his character, love of family, hard work and sense of fairness.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Rozella Reynolds Blackburn; sister, Josephine Blackburn of Lincolnton; daughter and son-in-law, Tina Blackburn Nardoci and Bruce Nardoci of Charlotte; daughter, Barbara Blackburn of Belmont; son and daughter-in-law, Danny and Dixie Helderman Blackburn of Dallas, NC; two grandchildren, David Blackburn and Heather Blackburn Meadows; two great-grandchildren, Julia and Lana Meadows.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.