Ranger Exes Memorial - RHS Class of 1940

Mary Blacklock 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. Raymond Blair 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.