Jay Thomas Blankenship

BASTIAN, VA - Jay Thomas Blankenship, 62, of Bastian, VA formerly of Matoaka, died Saturday, April 25, 2015 at his home after a courageous battle with cancer. Born December 16, 1952 in Bluefield, Jay was the son of Toni (Cleone) D. Reetz Blankenship of Matoaka and the late Claude E. Blankenship. He graduated from Matoaka High School in 1970 and also received degrees from Bluefield State College in Bluefield and East Tennessee State University in Johnston City, TN. Jay was Head Engineer at Clinch River Corporation in Cedar Bluff, VA where he worked for 34 years. In his youth, he worked with his father and two uncles at Blankenship’s Gulf Station and Wrecker Service in Matoaka. He enjoyed fishing, hiking and generally being outdoors. Jay had been an active Boy Scout and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at age 13. He was a member of Matoaka Volunteer Fire Department and a founding member and former chief of the Grapefield Fire Department in Grapefield, VA. In addition to his father, Jay was preceded in death by his beloved fiancé, Kathleen M. Joyce Bassett; paternal grandparents, Thomas Howard and Lora Cole Blankenship; maternal grandparents, Jay and Carrie Reetz and cousins, Charles Howard Blankenship and Edward A. Herzog, uncle Paul Blankenship and aunt Eva McDaniel. Jay is survived by his mother, Toni; his sister, Sandra Palmer and husband Terry of Fairmont, WV; uncle and aunt, Charles and Rema Blankenship of Matoaka; aunt Ziola Herzog of Bloomfield, NE; niece Erica Palmer and husband Craig Bowyer of Greensboro, NC; nephew, Bret Palmer of Mayodan, NC, cousins, Sherry Lynn Johnson and husband Bill of Greensboro, NC, Ron Blankenship of Princeton, Jim Herzog and wife Vicki of Bloomfield, NE, Tom Herzog and wife Kim Schweers of O’Neil, NE, Carol Herzog and husband Steve Bruegge of Portland, OR and grand niece and grand nephew, Andrew Bowyer and Margaret (Maggie) Bowyer of Greensboro, NC. As Jay wished, there will be no viewing and the body will be cremated. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3, 2015 at the Rowland H. Bailey Funeral Chapel of the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton with Chaplain John Blessing officiating and eulogy by Ray Mills. Those wishing to make a memorial donation may give to SECU Family House, 1970 Baldwin Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103, where he stayed during treatment at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. Friends may visit with the family from 1:00 p.m. until the service hour on Sunday, May 3, 2015 at the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton. To view a video tribute to Mr. Blankenship, or share online condolence with the family, please visit www.bailey-kirk.com.

Tributes

Jay Thomas Blankenship

December 16, 1952 - April 25, 2015