Ted R. Blackburn

Ted R. Blackburn, lifelong Cleveland resident, passed away on Friday, September 22, 2006 at his home near Cleveland at the age of sixty-one years, nine months and four days.

Ted was born December 18, 1944 in Barnsdall, Oklahoma to Mason Cecil and Hazel Elzada (Onstott) Blackburn. He moved with his family as a baby to Oklahoma City and then to Cleveland at the beginning of the second grade. He was then raised and attended school throughout high school in Cleveland, graduating with the Class of 1962. While attending high school Ted started working as a young person sacking and delivering groceries for the Cheek Family at their store. He was then employed assisting at the A-1 Service Station during his high school years working for Johnny Spurlock. After graduation, Ted continued to work at the A-1 Station for a while until he moved a little further up the street accepting employment with John Smith at his station on west Caddo.

Ted was married to Lois Flatt in Mannford, Oklahoma on May 3, 1965. He was soon inducted into the service of his country in the United States Army National Guard in 1966, conducting his basic training in Fort Ord, California and weekend duty at Camp Chaffee in Arkansas. Ted and Lois made their home in Cleveland and raised their two daughters, Jana and Donna there.

In 1967, Ted accepted employment as a Police Officer for the City of Cleveland receiving his formal training in Drumright and Shawnee, as well as from his mentor and close friend Warner Fox. Upon the retirement of Chief Fox, Ted was promoted to Chief of Police. He was known throughout the community as a fair and honest police officer, living up to the reputation of protect and serve. He was responsible for the training of many of the young police officers in the City of Cleveland, both former and present. Ted retired from the City of Cleveland after twenty years of service and eight years as Chief of Police in 1987. During his tenure with the City of Cleveland, Ted also served as an ambulance driver and Emergency Medical Technician for nearly seventeen years. He also assisted with the mowing of city property including the parks and the Woodland Cemetery. He could often be seen with his daughters at his side, mowing the cemetery, having a day of family time together sometimes including a picnic.

Shortly after his retirement with the City of Cleveland, Ted accepted employment with the Oklahoma State Department of Public Safety as a driverís license examiner. As such his duties included carrying the responsibility of administering tests to license applicants to ensure their competency before operating a motor vehicle on Oklahoma's roadways. Additionally, for several years, Ted served as a Classified Driver License (CDL) examiner which required checking the National Drivers Registry and CDLIS to ascertain if an applicant had a license issued from another state or was under suspension or revocation designed to designed to put a more qualified driver on the nation's highways. Ted retired in May of this year for health reasons after nineteen years with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.

Ted was affiliated with and attended the Mannford Full Gospel Church. In his spare time he enjoyed spending time outdoors, hunting and fishing. He especially liked taking annual trips with his family to Estes Park, Colorado where he loved to sit on the porch drinking coffee and planning the next dayís events. His favorite pastime was spending time with his grandchildren watching them play softball and football. Ted was an avid University of Oklahoma Sooner and Dallas Cowboy football fan. He was often described as a quiet and caring man who placed his family first and cherished the time he spent with them and his best friend and wife of forty-one years, Lois. During his time with the City of Cleveland his relationship with Chief Warner Fox was instrumental in shaping his philosophy of not only police work but of also friendship and family.

Ted is survived by wife, Lois Blackburn of the home; daughter, Jana R. Crowder of Cleveland, Oklahoma; daughter, Donna K. and her husband, David R. Bierbaum of Cleveland, Oklahoma; two grandchildren, Jennifer and Bradley Crowder, both of Cleveland, Oklahoma; brother, Troy and his wife, Linda Blackburn of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; four sisters, Patty and Paul Beard of Cleveland, Oklahoma, Peggy and Denny Moreino of Blackburn, Oklahoma, Billie Blackburn of Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Joy and Dr. Ed Black of Cleveland, Oklahoma, and his mother-in-law, Lola Flatt of Jennings, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mason and Hazel Blackburn.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm, Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at First Assembly of God Church with Pastor Dan Edens, Paster Larry Schilling and a lifelong friend, Don Cochran officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman Black Funeral Home.