Marion Eldridge Blanton Jr.

Published 4:40 pm Thursday, March 28, 2013

RICHMOND, March 28 – Marion Eldridge Blanton Jr. was born October 27, 1915. He died Saturday, March 23, 2013 in Richmond. Born at his family home, “Tamworth,” near Cartersville, he attended Hamilton High School in Cumberland County and was graduated summa cum laude from the College of William and Mary in 1938, with majors in mathematics and chemistry.

While at William and Mary, he lettered in track and field, rowed with the men's crew team, was a Dean's List student, president of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, president of the Men's Honor Council, elected to Omicron Delta Kappa, aide to President John Stewart Bryan, a member of the Order of the White Jackets, and named to “Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities” for the class of 1938.

Mr. Blanton served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater aboard the USS Cloues in World War II and was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant (j.g.) in 1946.

He returned home to a career that included farming, operating a general store, farm implement and feed business, operating “Muddy Creek Mills,” owning and operating Blanton Funeral Home, and serving as U.S. Postmaster at Tamworth.

He was a Deacon in the Cartersville Baptist Church and a civic leader in numerous organizations in Cumberland County, including the Cartersville Ruritan Club, the Cartersville Volunteer Fire Department, and the DeWitt Clinton Masonic Lodge No. 141, A.F. & A.M.

He is survived by his sons, M. Eldridge Blanton, III, of Richmond and Jackson L. Blanton, of North Palm Beach, Florida; daughter-in-law, Dr. Erika M. Blanton; granddaughter, Charlotte Nicole Blanton (Jaimison D. Schellenger); three nephews, Charles Robins Baskerville Jr. (Catalina) of Baja Verapaz, Guatemala, William Frank Baskerville (Randy) of Charlottesville, and Richard Lee Baskerville (Barbara) of Decatur, GA. He was predeceased by his wife, Charlotte Eoline Turner Blanton, his second wife, Martha Anna Keith Blanton, parents, Marion E. Blanton and Josephine Moon Blanton, all of Tamworth, Cumberland County, and sister, Pauline Virginia Baskerville of Asheville, NC and Tamworth.

Services were held at the Cartersville Baptist Church on Wednesday, March 27, with interment in the Cartersville Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Cartersville Volunteer Fire Department or the Cartersville Baptist Church.