Roland Roger Blackford, age 90, of Conroe, Texas passed away on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Roland was born November 1, 1930 in Stanton, Texas to parents Jessie Smith Blackford and Minnie Lee Jones Blackford. Roland was the youngest and last surviving of his nine siblings. He married Jimmie Ruth Barlett Blackford on December 13, 1952.
Roland graduated from Abilene High School. Going through high school, he worked for a watch repair company and fixed watches and clocks. Roland went into the National Guard after high school then he joined the United States Air Forces and is a Korean War Veteran. He served from 1951 to 1955.
He earned a Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate degrees. While going through college at Hardin Simmons in Abilene, Texas, he worked for Sears and Roebuck. Roland could repair anything by Kenmore.
Roland was a teacher, professor and a vocational high school counselor as well as a drivers ed teacher, math teacher and economics teacher from the 1960s to 1990s at Abilene High School, Cisco Junior College and a Professor of business law, macro economics and micro economics from 2000 to 2020 at Lone Star College.
Roland enjoyed hands on projects. He knew how to build houses, sew, repair sewing machines and repair all types of appliances. His mom taught him how to sew and he taught his daughter, Rebecca. He was a beautiful sewer. He also learned how to build houses from his dad. In 2003, he helped his daughter build her present home. In 2017 after they flooded in Harvey, at the age of 87, Roland remade the custom wood sconces and trim around doors and entry ways.
Roland is survived by his daughter, Rebecca Wren Tinnell and husband, James R. Tinnell; grandchildren, Melissa K. Ritchie and Kaleb Tinnell; grandson-in-law, Stephen A. Ritchie; great-grandsons, Zachary A. Ritchie, Jayce A. Ritchie, Lane Tinnell and Ian Tinnell; and great-granddaughter Reese Tinnell.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.brooksidefuneralhomelauder.com for the Blackford family.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18