donald_blackman

Donald R. Blackman

Donald R. Blackman, 75, passed away Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at Jackson County Memorial
Hospital in Altus, Oklahoma, after a long battle with cancer.
      Donald was born October 10, 1934 in Whittier, California, the eldest son of Donald Richard
Stuart Blackman and Eleanor Bland Blackman. He graduated from high school in Taft, California,
in 1953. During the next two years, Donald went to Whittier College, joined the U.S. Army, where
he was a Tank Radio Operator, and in 1955, he transferred into the United States Air Force where
he served twenty years in the Air Police. His travels took him to France, Okinawa, and an atoll
named Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean.
      In 1958, he met and married Elvira Hickson in Amarillo, Texas. To this union were born five
children, Sharon, Donald, Michael, Chris, and Tamara.
      In 1975, Donald retired from the Air Force and moved his family to Window Rock, Arizona,
where he worked on the Navajo reservation as an Emergency Technician and later was an
Emergency Medical Technician Instructor.
      In 1984, Donald went to work for Whittier College in Whittier, California as a public safety
officer, where he was Assistant Chief.
      In 1990, he was employed as a Public Safety Officer by Mt. San Antonio College, where he
worked until he retired in 2000. It was during this time that Donald met his current wife, Patricia
Jones Blackman. They were married in La Verne, California on December 10, 1994.
      In August 2000, Donald and Patricia moved from California to Altus, Oklahoma to look after
her father, Harold W. Jones, of Blair, Oklahoma, who was in poor health.
      Donald’s hobbies included watching old movies on Turner Classic Movie Network, using the
computer, taking care of his two cats, Ginger and Gracie, and feeding the birds and various stray
animals that came around the house. He was known for his laid-back, easy-going manner and
attitude, and being the strong-silent type.
      Donald is survived by his wife, Patricia, of the home in Altus; his ex-wife, Elvira, of Window
Rock, Arizona; a brother, David and his wife, May, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; two brothers-in-law,
Pat Jones and his wife, Barbara, of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Bob Jones, of Blair, Oklahoma; his
biological children, Sharon Battles and her husband, Bill, and Donald Blackman II of Window
Rock, Arizona, Michael Blackman of Houston, Texas, Chris Blackman of Hobbs, New Mexico, and
Tamara Blackman and her husband, Joe Thomas, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by
four stepchildren, Craig Dickerson of Oakland, California, Deborah Dickerson of Victorville,
California, Deanna Dickerson of Altus, and John Jones and his wife Elizabeth, of Vineyard Haven,
Massachusetts. Donald is survived also by five grandchildren, Ryan Battles of Window Rock,
Arizona, Sean Blackman of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Aaron Blackman and Shaunessy Blackman
of Houston, Texas, and Jacob Blackman of Lubbock, Texas; one great-grandchild, David Aaron
Blackman of Houston, Texas; three step-grandchildren, David Jones, Shelley Jones, and Joseph
Jones, and one step-great-grandchild, Cole Philip Reed, of Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts.
      Pallbearers will be provided by the United States Air Force Honor Guard. Honorary Pallbearers
are Bill Battles, Donnie Blackman, Michael Blackman, Chris Blackman, Sean Blackman, Ryan
Battles, Aaron Blackman, Pat Jones, Bob Jones, Joe Thomas, and Michael Montoya.

The family will receive friends Friday, January 15, 2010, at Lowell-Tims Chapel from 6:00 to 8:00
p.m.

Funeral Services will be held 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 16, 2010 at Lowell-Tims Chapel with
Chaplain Jessie Forrest officiating. Interment will follow at Altus City Cemetery with full military
honors. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma,
Altus Animal Aid, Inc., or to the charity of your choice.