John Blackwell

CHARLESTON - Alfred Ellis "John" Blackwell, 91, formerly of Anniston, died at 8:20 a.m. June 17, 2002, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

Born March 30, 1911, in Jonesboro, Ark., son of the late Albert Boyd and Ollie Shoemaker Blackwell, he lived in Mississippi County most of his life. He worked with the Farm Bureau for eight years and was a rural letter carrier for the U.S. Post Office in Charleston for 38 years before retiring.

He was a self-employed contractor for more than 45 years, specializing in house moving and foundation maintenance.

He lived in Anniston for many years. During his 11 years of service on the Anniston School Board, he held the position of president and secretary and was also a city alderman for three terms. He also served three years on the Mississippi County School Board.

A lifelong Methodist, Blackwell was a member of the United Methodist Church in Charleston and had achieved the rating of sergeant in his service with the Missouri National Guard.

On May 4, 1935, at Mound City, Ill., he married Ruthe Hahn who survives of the home.

Other survivors include: one son and daughter-in-law, Judge Carroll Martin and Sally Blackwell of Paris, Mo.; one sister-in-law, Margaret Hahn Spore of Evansville, Ind.; two granddaughters and grandsons-in-law, Elizabeth Caroline Blackwell and Hunter V. Hofmann of Columbia, and Amanda Carroll Blackwell and Andrew Davis of Houston, Texas; and two great-granddaughters, Alexandria Caroline Hofmann and Lauren Elizabeth Hoffman of Columbia.

Two brothers, Gordon Ray Blackwell and Elgin L. Blackwell, preceded him in death.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Charleston. The Rev. Ed Hankinson, pastor, and the Rev. Richard Combs, a United Methodist minister from Jackson, will officiate.

Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery near Charleston.

Pallbearers will be: Hunter Hofmann, Andrew Davis, Jamie Gilmore, Jeff Stack, Burke Dodson, Charles Brink and Don Robertson.

Honorary pallbearers will be: George Simmons, Glenn Ault Jr., Don Moxley, Fred DeField and Benjamin Bird Moore.

Paid obituary