William Dave Blankenship

William D. "Bill" Blankenship, 91, died at home on August 5, 2015. He was born in San Francisco on July 12, 1924, the only child of Edith Gertrude Chapman and Henry David Blankenship. He spent his childhood and his childhood and youth in San Francisco with summers in Napa, CA on the family fruit farm.

Bill served in the Army Air Corps (now U.S. Air Force) during World War II from 1943-1946 with service in the China-Burma-India theater of war. Following his time in the service he attended the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1950 with a Bachelor's degree in geology, then from the University of Texas at Austin in 1952 with a Master's in geology.

Bill worked as a geologist for Shell Oil for 6 years and in the Philippines for two years as a geologic consultant for a native company. He liked to talk about his experiences there and how much he enjoyed the Philippine people. The last several years of his career he worked as an independent exploration geologist and also worked in rural land sales.

In May 1970 Bill married Janet "Jan" Hebard, and later that year they joined Central Christian Church. They loved this church and their friends here. They were active in the Kum Dubl Class for several years and later in the ConneXion Class. Bill served many years as a Deacon and has received his Deacon Emeritus pin.

He had a great love of travel and took many trips with Jan to other countries as well as to all of our states. They were members of the Ports of Call Travel Club and traveled often with them as well as on many trips on their own.

Bill was member of South Denver Masonic Lodge #93 A.M. & F.M. and several other Masonic related groups, including El Jebel Shrine.

He is survived by his wife Jan; son Kyle (Wife Leslie), Cameron Park, CA; daughter Devon Blankenship, NO. Highlands, CA; Grandson Jason Hade (wife Stanci), Roseville, OR; and granddaughter, Holly Tyler, Sacramento, CA.

Interment will be in the family plot in Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, CA.

Memorial gifts may be made to: Shrine Hospitals for Children, C/O El Jebel Shrine, 4625 W. 50th Ave., Denver, CO 80212