Leonard Blalock

Leonard Keith Blalock, of Northport, AL, age 85, died August 13, 2021, after a brief illness at DCH Regional Medical Center. A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at Saint Mark Methodist Church on Saturday, August 21, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. Rev. John Drawhorn, Associate Pastor, will officiate the celebration program of a well lived life.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Willis Blalock, Northport, AL; son, Ken Blalock (Libby), Northport, AL; daughter, Beth Blalock, Tuscaloosa, AL; stepson, Phillip Burnette (Terri), Northport, AL; and grandchildren, Suzy Blalock, Allie Blalock, and Adam Burnette.

Keith was born in Union, MS on July 21, 1936. He attended Union High School and graduated in 1955; attended East Central Junior College and graduated from Mississippi State University in 1959.

Keith entered the Navy through the Air Officer Candidate program in that same year. He subsequently was commissioned and became a Naval Flight Officer while assigned at NAS Pensacola. During his time on active duty, he served as a navigator/radar intercept officer onboard E1-B’s flying off the USS Forrestal (CV-59) with VAW-12. As a reservist, he served with VR-46 and VR-47 out of NAS Marietta, GA. Keith retired from the Naval Reserves in 1992 with the rank of Captain.

Keith attended Graduate School of Social Work at Tulane from 1963-65. After completing graduate degree, he went to work at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Administration Medical Center in 1965 until retirement in 1995. Keith was the Supervisor of the Community Residential Care (CRC) Program that placed eligible veterans in “foster homes” in surrounding areas of Tuscaloosa.

Following retirement, Keith involved himself in several military organizations. For several years he visited area high schools to find eligible students to participate in the American Legion’s Boys State and Girl State competition. He held several offices in the American Legion and the West Alabama Officers Association. While his wife, Linda, went back to college and continued her career, Keith used his many talents to serve others through the mission work of St. Mark UMC. Keith joined the “Same Ten” group and went on several mission trips to Bay St. Louis to help rebuild homes after Hurricane Katrina. He was a Sunday school teacher, on several church committees, and worked loyally at the church’s food pantry for thirteen years.

Keith was a man of deep devotion to his wife, his family, his church, his friends, his community, and his country. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Saint Mark UMC Food Pantry, which was so close to his heart.