Henry Blackford

Henry John Blackford, age 93, of Golden City, passed away Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at Missouri Veterans Home in Mount Vernon.      Henry was born July 12, 1915, in Carthage, Missouri, to Laughlin and Lillie (Ware) Blackford.  He joined the U.S. Army in 1941 and trained to guard the Golden Gate Bridge.  In addition to farming and raising livestock near Golden City, Henry had worked in the Jewel Wayne Block Plant in Lamar for 10 years and for Independent Gravel in Carthage for many years.  He retired from quarry work in 1985, but continued to farm for nearly 20 more years.      On October 27, 1946, at Columbus, Kansas, Henry married Wanda L. Davis, and she preceded him in death August 4, 2000.  He was also preceded in death by a brother Ray Blackford; a sister, Martha Curry; a favorite granddaughter, Kelly Gotcher Forst; and a great-grandson, Adam Forst.      Survivors include two sons, Darrell & wife Peggy Blackford, and John Blackford, all of Lamar; a daughter and son-in-law, Barbara & Doug Bevins, El Paso, Texas; a sister Minnie Sargent, Carthage; a grandson, Daniel & wife Sonja Blackford, Galena, Kansas; a grandson-in-law, Michael Forst, Lamar; and four great-grandchildren, Kendall, Katelyn, Wyatt, and Hunter.      Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at Daniel Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 7:00 until 8:00 p.m. Monday.  Burial will be in Mt. Carmel Cemetery west of Golden City with military honors conducted by V.F.W. Post 3691.