Allouez Amey Blackburn

Allouez Amey "Miss B." Blackburn, 90, passed away Saturday, March 31, 2012, at a local medical center. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at Hawley Church of Christ, Hawley, Texas. Burial will follow in Hawley Cemetery, directed by Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home, 542 Hickory St., Abilene. The family will receive friends at a visitation 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Miss Blackburn was born on July 16, 1921, in Hamilton County to James Vernon Blackburn and Mary Amey Cline Blackburn. The family moved to the Abilene area when she was a child. She graduated from Abilene High School in 1938 and went on to attend Hardin-Simmons University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Social Studies in 1942. She later received her Master of Education from Hardin-Simmons University in 1950.

Upon graduation from college, Miss Blackburn went to work at Hawley High School where she would live out an impressive 44-year teaching career. During her years at Hawley ISD Miss Blackburn earned many accolades including the Freedom Foundation Excellence Award in 1971, Texas Speech Teacher of the Year in 1973 and Hawley ISD Teacher of the Year for the 1984-85 school year, just to name a few. She was also very active in the local PTA.

While she cherished the awards she accumulated throughout her career, Miss B was most proud of having had the chance to touch so many lives. She never married or had children of her own, however, she considered each and every student she taught her child, and in the years since her retirement in 1986 she rarely went five minutes without some mention of her “kids”, usually calling them by name.

Speech and drama were her teaching loves. She led many debate teams and one-act plays to UIL district championships, with some competing at the state level. In the classroom, Miss B was all business. But make no mistake, she loved to “cut up” and had a quick wit to match. She had a full arsenal of jokes she loved to fire off with a wink.

Miss B continued to enjoy attending many Hawley school functions until just a few years ago, and in 2011 Hawley ISD honored her with the dedication of the Allouez Blackburn Cafetorium.

Miss Blackburn was a member of the Hawley Church of Christ. A dedicated daughter, she spent a good portion of her life tirelessly caring for her parents until their passing. Miss B is survived by a host of beloved cousins.

The family would like to thank the entire Hawley community for being Miss Blackburn’s extended family and for opening their hearts and homes to her over the years. A special thank you to Barbara Lambert whose unmatched concern, help and support over the past two years has been such a blessing to Allouez and her family.

Few can say they were a legend in their own time, but Miss B could rightly claim this title. She was loved, respected and will be missed by all that knew her. Her influence will live on through the hundreds of lives she touched.