MARY CLAUD BLACKLOCK BLAIR, 79, died on Feb. 25,
2003 at Abilene, TX, with burial in Elmwood Memorial
Park. She attended Ranger High School in the Class
of 1940 at Ranger, TX.
Mrs. Blair was born on Feb. 26, 1923 in Carbon, TX
the daughter of Claud and May Crossley Blacklock.
She married Raymond Blair in Sept. of 1948 in
Ranger. They came to Abilene around 1952. She had
been a member of Southside Baptist Church since
that time and was very active in all its activities
up until her illness. She enjoyed selling Avon for
about 8 years and received several sales awards
while with the company. She was a talented painter
and enjoyed crochet, knitting, music, and flowers.
Survivors at the time of her death include her
husband Raymond of Abilene; one daughter, Linda
Philp of Diboll; one son and daughter-in-law, Gary
and Phyllis Blair of Lubbock; one brother, Gayle
Blacklock (RHS-1944) of Midland; four grandchildren
and eight great-grandchildren. Don Blacklock (RHS-
1946 was her brother.
HUSBAND: RAYMOND H. BLAIR a longtime Abilene, TX
resident, passed away peacefully at home in Lubbock
on Dec. 7, 2012 at the age of 96.
Raymond was born on Jan. 22, 1916 in Parker County
near Boyd, TX, to Emery Wesley Blair and Julia Ann
(Sanders) Blair. He was the last of twelve children.
He graduated from high school in Springtown and later
from Tarleton Jr. College in Stephenville where he
was the leading scorer on the 1940 State Champion
Basketball Team. After college, he began a long career
with Southwestern Bell Telephone that would span more
than forty years. During WWII, he served as a Seabee
in the Navy, stationed in the Aleutian Islands. He
later attended Officer Candidate School and then
served as an Ensign in the Pacific Theatre. After
the war he resumed his career with Southwestern Bell.
He married Mary Claude Blacklock (RHS-1940) from
Ranger, TX, in September of 1948, the beginning of
a long and loving union until her death in 2003.
In his later years, he spent many hours listening
to his collection of traditional Country & Western
music. He was also an avid fan of the Texas Rangers,
The Dallas Mavericks, and the Dallas Cowboys but
most of all; he enjoyed long conversations with his
many friends.
Raymond is survived by his daughter Linda Kolb and
her husband Troy of Lufkin, TX; son, Gary Blair and
his wife, Phyllis of Lubbock, TX; Grandchildren
Charles and Robert Philp of Lufkin, Drew Blair of
Lubbock and Lacey Blair of Denver, CO; and nine
great-grandchildren.
Raymond was a kind, generous and loving man who
will be missed by all who knew him.