
Coach, it was an honor for me to be able to speak at the Memorial to honor you and your family ! The time spent playing for the Panthers will never be forgotten and are always a great topic of conversation for the Men of 1979 ! We once were boys you made into men ! The smell of Coach Witt's Swisher Sweets and the mad scramble to get on the field before Monahans and before the Sun, the great work ethic taught has come to pass in all of us ! When you said jump we never asked "How High" we asked if we could "Come Down" !! You will always be a part of each and everyone of us that played for you !! COACHS' Blocker, Witt, Hudson, Masterson, Pasqua ! 9 shutouts in 10 games and a Mirage of a Playoff Game in Midland against Lubbock Estacado. 
Football Teams Fish 75, Varsity 76,77,78 #1 Ranked 3A Team in State of Texas ! I think I speak for the "Great Graduating Class of 1979 !!!!!!!!!!!!!
 It was an honor playing with and for all of you !!!!
Dee Parks-BS Angelo State, MEd.Sul Ross, Coach 8yrs, Counselor 13 yrs, Asst.Princepal 2yrs. Retired !
THANKS COACH !
 



I had the pleasure of being in Coach Blocker's class at Vernon High School in the 1960's.  He was a great teacher, coach and friend to all of us.  In life there are some teachers who just make us want to be better people.  Coach Blocker was one of those teachers.  I've thought of him so many times over the years and I send my heartfelt condolences and prayers to his family.



Our thoughts and prayers go out to you Norene, Scott, and Stacey and families. John touched a lot of lives including ours and our daughters.  We appreciate the opportunities afforded us in Fort Stockton and beyond because of our association with the Blockers.  John will be missed and God Bless you as you continue on.  We have thought of you many times over the years.



The Blocker family are in my prayers. Although was a small kid , I have fond memories of our days at Kilgore with my dad coaching with coach Blocker. May you all find strength in Him during this time. 



My sincere condolences to the family of Coach Blocker.  Although I did not get into education/coaching, I remain involved as a sports official.  Coach Blocker's legacy remains.

Coach, hurp hurp, Paterno's wating on you!

May God bless you and Thank you to the Blocker family for allowing your husband, father, grandfather to be such a big part of our lives.  Take comfort in knowing that he served His Lord well.  Godspeed Coach, may he rest in peace.



I would like to extend my sympathies to the family of John Blocker. His friend, Alan Ross.



Norene & Family,I always valued John's friendship and commitment to Texas High School Football and young athletes.  I will always remember our "Get-Togethers" at the American Football Coaches Conventions and Texas High School Coaches School.   Your friend,  Wayne Saegert, Pflugerville High Class '54



My condolences and prayers to the Blocker Family. I played for Coach Blocker in the early 80's and he had such a impact on my life, He tought me to win and never stop trying. He gave and under size player a chance. Again, my sincere condolences and prayers. He will be missed.





Dear Noreen and family, our thoughts and prayers go out to you. We have many great memories of our visits with you and John. He touched so many lives in a positive way.



Norene Scott,Stacey
I am so sorry for the loss of John. Fort Stockton is a better place for you having been here. I have thought of you often throughout the years and my thoughts and prayers are definitely with you at this time. Coach and his family left fond memories in FS. God bless and keep you.



Dear Blocker Family, 

I knew coach Blocker while attending school at FSHS, but when I got hired to work at Central Office I really got to know him. In my eyes he was a giant with a kind heart and funny to the core.  A honest gentle man, who touched many lives, mine for sure!  Our prayers go out to the Blocker Family!   



I was married to Buddy Stevens, lived in Vernon, and lived next door to you and John, on 2309 Marshall where we raised our children for a short time.  Coaching in Vernon brings many good memories of times we shared.  I am sorry for your, Scott's and Stacy's loss.  My love goes out to all of you.  Peggy



To the Blocker Family;

May God bless you during this time of loss.  Coach Blocker is a man I remember fondly almost daily.  His spit-fire, dynamic style was for me a living, breathing motto, "Let's get something accomplished!"  Not just done, but accomplished.  I really appreciate this man and his love for kids and sports.  Thank you, Coach.



Coach Blocker helped me become a better man.  His guidance to me as a player and a coach was indispensable.  I have truly never known a better man.

Deepest Regards,

Todd Martin



To the Blocker Family      
 
  Little did we know then, the two years that he would coach in Wolfforth (Frenship High School) that he would effect so many young men in a positive way. Coach Blocker was certainly the role model that we needed for that time in our lives. My thoughts and prayers are with you.


                                                        Johnny Carrizales
                                                        Frenship High School
                                                         Class of 70
      



It has been 43 years since being coached by John Blocker and I can't see a football game of any kind without being reminded  of him and his dedication and intensity to teach a group of kids the rewards of those attributes.  I can still see him rubbing and pulling his red flat top haircut when we were occasionally slow to pick up on a concept he was trying to teach.
Coach Blocker came to Frenship H.S  in 1968 where the words "win" and "football" were rarely combined and in his first year missed winning district by one game and then in 1969 went 10-0, including the 2-4A championship. No one  in  Wolfforth, TX had ever concieved of such a thing and it changed the whole community's perception of itself into a "can do" positive attitude that can still be found today.  Coach Blocker has had a beneficial effect on so many more lives than he could ever know.
  
I am blessed that his path crossed through my life and I pray God continues to bless his family.

Phil Harrist
 



I have known John for about 53 years and have always found him to be interested in the players he was coaching at that time.  John was a man that demanded loyality from his staff and school and returned that loyality 10 Nfold.  



I remember Coach Blocker from his years in Kilgore. He was a fine man and a great roll model to the ones of us who knew him. May he rest in peace in the Loving arms of God. Well done good and faithful servant



Coach Blocker played a huge role in my life while playing football for him in the 80's.  A lot of who I am today is a tribute to the kind of person and coach he was.  I wish there were more coaches like him today, impacting the lives of young men and women in a positive way.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the family in this dificult time.  He will be missed!



Coach Blocker gave me the chance to be a student trainer, in Fort Stockton, his last years there.  Even though we did not always see eye to eye, he was a role model and inspiration.  Prayers to the family.



My condolences and prayers to the Blocker Family.  I played for coach Blocker in the early 80's and he had such a profound impact on my life, not only in sports, but in every aspect of my life.   Again, my sincere condolences and prayers.  He will be missed.



Norene, Scott, and Stacey,

Diane and I were very much saddened to read in this morning's paper of John's death.  

I always got a big kick out of John, whether it was hollering at him over the back fence, or waving at him as he zoomed out of the driveway.  He gave the twins, Matt and Paul,  age three, their first footballs---not Nerf, but the real things!  While those two balls were not the launch of major football careers, Matt is sportscaster for KVUE there in Austin.  Take a bow, John!

We are thinking of you and share your loss, Phillip



I admired John as a player on the Lubbock High state championship teams in 1951 and 1952. I was fortunate to have been in his class at Carroll Thompson Junior High in Lubbock when he was a student teacher.  He was a very fine teacher and was always so kind to everyone in the class.  I followed his career in the sports pages and remember reading of his later successes including the championship team(s) at Fort Stockton.  He was a fine person and a great teacher.  I was fortunate to have known him.
Jimmy F. Davis
Lubbock 



The last ime i saw coach blocker was in Waco texas when they inducted coach Pat into the Texas coaches Hall of Fame on the Baylor campus.  He set at the table with Ed Marsh , J R Fullerton, Bill Belew , Dan Bond and myself.  He was a Great inflluence in my life and the values I have today. May he rest in peace.



I graduated from Vernon High School in 1966 and had the pleasure of being around coack Blocker for those years.  He truly had a positive impact on the lives of many young people.  I haven't known a lot of "one of a kind" people in my life, but he was one.  I had not seen him in about 40 years, but today I miss him.  I imagine he and coach Pat are already discussing the glory days of their careers.  

My sincere condolences to his family, his friends, former students and fellow coaches.  



Thanks Coach Blocker for letting us share in your career as you were an important part of our careers.I pray for your family in their loss.But I hope they take comfort in the many things you did for the many acquaintances you had.The thing that impressed me about Coach was there was no challenge bigger than John Blocker.He impressed upon us as young coaches that there was nothing we could not accomplish and I will always be indebted to him for that.



Coach Blocker was such a hoot.  Never a dull moment around him. I  was a student at Vernon  where I had the priviledge of knowing Coach.
He will be greatly missed.  My condolences are extended to his family.



Coach Blocker came to Pflugerville my junior year of high school.  He helped me through a difficult time in life as I was struggling with issues at home.  He always had time to visit.  Very funny guy and always put things in perspective. I remember him as having a love for kids and used football as his vehicle to impart life's wisdom to the next generation.  I am saddened to hear of his passing.  May God Bless.  

David Etheredge
Pflugerville High School (1988) 



Vernon High school memories of Coach Blocker will stay with me forever--good memories of a good man.  Ironically, I even taught with his son Scott in Kermit, though he may not remember that.  God bless you all as you go through this difficult time.

Patti Price Taliaferro Daniels
Vernon High School class of 1970



We are sooo sorry to hear about Blocker -- we didnt know -- our thoughts and prayers are with you, Norene, and family.  What a great guy and friend and tremendous coach.  we will all miss him very much but there  are lots of those old coaches sitting in heaven -- having a cold beer and talking about x's and o's.  A character and great person.
Thinking of you



  Norene, I know you had asked for prayers on Facebook, which I was glad to do, but at the time I didn't know it was for John.

I am so sorry and I grieve with you.

Wish I could be there with you, but you will be in my prayers.

Love,    Harriett



Coach Blocker was my head coach in Fort Stockton.  I graduated in 1983.  I am in my 21st year of coaching and he was very instrumental in my decision to become a coach.  Thanks coach for helping me to pursue my dreams.  I will never forget you.



Norene, I am sad to hear of John's death. I pray that God will bring you and your family the peace that passes all understanding.  Our prawers are with you.    j58z6  Peggy Hardegree



John came to Ft. Stockton after I left for college.  He left a strong legacy for those he came in contact with and coached in FS.  I am saddened by his passing but will say, keep looking forward because he is in your future, not just the past.  He was a difference maker in FS.  



God bless you in these tough times, Norene.  A candle is burning for you and John on my desk right now in Hamburg, Germany.  None of us has much farther to go ... you did good.
love Frank (Appletree) and Annegret.



I remember Dolly Parton music in the lockeroom, working to get all the hay in the barn, Frank Chavaria's tailbone move, and a Man teaching a bunch of wild young Texas men how be be winners. Thanks coach. Enjoy your time with the Lord. May the Lord be with all your family.

Sincerely,
Tipp 



I have great memories of our San Angelo College days, and will never forget our trip to Niagra Falls together, everyone on the bus loved John as he entertained the entire group.  Norene, you and your family are definitely in my prayers.



My condolences to the Blocker family for your loss. I played for John back in the early 1980's and remember it like it was yesterday. He was a good man and had an impact on so many. He will be truely missed. May God bless the Blocker family. Let us remember the good times we had with Coach Blocker and the good times to come.



Norene, Scott, and Stacey please accept  Judy  and my deepest condolences for the loss of one of the finest men I have ever known.  I sat in his lap on the bus to football games when he played football for my dad at Lubbock, I played football for him at Vernon and sat with he and Norene when dad was inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame in Waco, John is who wrote the letter to nominate him  for induction.  My father and mother both loved him very much.  I'm sure John and dad are standing at a  chalk board diagraming plays already.  We will see you Saturday.  Our prayers to you and your families.



Norene & Stacey, As John watches us from above he will see all the many friends and families lives he touched, He was a great man and with you he gave us a jewel, Stacey has been a blessing for our family.  My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time, He will be missed greatly, but you will always have the beautiful memories and he will never leave your heart.
God Bless you and the family.



Coach Blocker will be sadly miss, good coach, friend, and mentor. Coach  Blocker taught me alot while playing football for the Fort Stockton Panthers. He will be  miss dearly from the Panthers, players and coaches. MAY GOD BLESS HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS, MY DEEPEST SYMPATY TO YOU ALL.

                                                           Oscar G.Gallegos 1978 Football Team



Thank you for coming to Fort Stockton and helping this city in so many ways.  You and your family will always have friends here.



Because John hired me to come to Fort Stockton to start the Junior High girls basketball program I found my husband of 36 years and many, many friends and fond memories.  John and Norene took me into the "coaching family" and helped me build a life in Fort Stockton.  David became part of the "coaching family" and developed a lasting friendship with the Blockers as well.  John you will be missed by many!!  Our thoughts and prayers are with you Norene, Scott, Stacey and the rest of your family.



John, I can still hear you at two a days. "Price you BB brain!". You were one of the good ones, left positive impressions on young men. Rest in Peace.



Coach blocker, we will miss you. My condolences to the Blocker family.



God Speed Coach Blocker, I watched you bring a city together in 1978 with one of the most amazing football teams. I was eight years old and I will never forget how a city exploded because of it Panthers.



Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. It's been 30 years since John hired me as a coach in Fort Stockton, and he was influential in getting Lynne a job here as well.  I retired 11 years ago, but Lynne is still at FSHS. We will always have fond memories of John.

Ron and Lynne Beeles
Fort Stockton, Texas


OBITUARY

John Andre Blocker

7 March, 1934 – 21 January, 2012

Weed Corley Fish Funeral Homes and Cremation Services

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