Obituaries
Bennett Lee Blankenship
( September 23, 1932 - March 30, 2016 )
Retired Command Sergeant Major, Bennett Lee Blankenship, age 83, of 1697 Old Mill Road in Lincolnton, died on Wednesday, March 30, 2016.
His funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2016, in the Warlick Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Devine officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.
Mr. Blankenship was born September 23, 1932, in Burdine, KY, to the late Clarence and Sadie VanHorn Blankenship. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by brothers, Maxwell Blankenship and Gilbert Blankenship; and sisters, Edith Powers and Vada Jackson. He retired from the Department of the US Army in 1976. He served with the 82 Airborne Division, 101st Airborne, 1st, 5th and 7th Special Forces and spent 5 tours of duty in Vietnam with a total of 23 years active duty. He taught ROTC at the University of Tennessee at Chattanoooga. Mr. Blankenship was a member of Covenant Bible Church.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Annie Seate Blankenship of the home; a son, Gary Lee Blankenship, and wife Debra Lee, of Vale; two brothers, Willard Blankenship, and wife Roxie, and Frank Blankenship, and wife Judy; one sister, Judy Priddy, and husband Robert; one half-brother, Ronnie Gale, and wife Nancy; sister-in-law, Florence Blankenship; four grandchildren, Jon Holden, Stephanie and Jeremy Dean of Rossville, GA, and Krystle Holden of Vale; and six great-grandchildren, Nicholas Holden, Isabella Holden, Liam Holden, Mason Holden, Eli Dean, and Brynn Dean.
His funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2016, in the Warlick Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Devine officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.
Mr. Blankenship was born September 23, 1932, in Burdine, KY, to the late Clarence and Sadie VanHorn Blankenship. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by brothers, Maxwell Blankenship and Gilbert Blankenship; and sisters, Edith Powers and Vada Jackson. He retired from the Department of the US Army in 1976. He served with the 82 Airborne Division, 101st Airborne, 1st, 5th and 7th Special Forces and spent 5 tours of duty in Vietnam with a total of 23 years active duty. He taught ROTC at the University of Tennessee at Chattanoooga. Mr. Blankenship was a member of Covenant Bible Church.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Annie Seate Blankenship of the home; a son, Gary Lee Blankenship, and wife Debra Lee, of Vale; two brothers, Willard Blankenship, and wife Roxie, and Frank Blankenship, and wife Judy; one sister, Judy Priddy, and husband Robert; one half-brother, Ronnie Gale, and wife Nancy; sister-in-law, Florence Blankenship; four grandchildren, Jon Holden, Stephanie and Jeremy Dean of Rossville, GA, and Krystle Holden of Vale; and six great-grandchildren, Nicholas Holden, Isabella Holden, Liam Holden, Mason Holden, Eli Dean, and Brynn Dean.
Posted on 31 Mar 2016
Current Information
Contact
125 Dave Warlick Drive
Lincolnton, NC 28092
704/735-2521