JOHN WILLIAM BLAKEMORE

1930-2019

September 14, 1930 – June 1, 2019 Born the son of William Allen Blakemore and Mamie John Brockman, John was grateful to have grown up in an open, inclusive society when honesty and hard work were presumed traits and childhood friends remained friends forever. He is survived by his fabulous wife Barbara Kathryn Etchison Blakemore; wonderful children Kathryn Dale Blakemore Sanders and son Allen Etchison Blakemore and daughter-in-law Elizabeth Harrison Blakemore; and inspiring grandchildren Emily Kathryn Sanders Buczynski, Thomas John Sanders, Charlotte Elizabeth Blakemore and Sarah Allen Blakemore. John was proud to have been a product of Edgar Allen Poe Elementary, Sidney Lanier Junior High and Mirabeau B. Lamar High School and very lucky to have graduated from The Rice Institute and the University of Texas. He was a member of U.S. Navy reserves, called up for the Korean War serving aboard the USS Macomb DMS-23, followed by The University of Texas on the GI Bill. John and Barbara were married October 6, 1956. He then was a computer consultant for E.I. du Pont between 1956-59 and an engineer at Texas Instruments between 1959-91; he was the architect of several real-time systems for the U.S. military and contributed to the national defense effort and the demise of the Soviet Union. John was also a Consultant to the Defense Department, Washington DC between 1961-1963. John loved the outdoors and was extremely grateful to have hiked the mountains of Nepal, Europe and his beloved Colorado.

His ashes will be scattered in the mountains near Estes Park, Colorado. A footstone will be placed at the family lot in Forest Park Cemetery, Houston, Texas.