James Dayton Blackwell

James Dayton Blackwell, born August 1, 1932, in Baltimore, Maryland, died peacefully in his home in Catonsville, Maryland on October 16, 2023, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his children Kathleen Louise Blackwell Bird [Ronald], Mark Dayton Blackwell, Vickere Lee Blackwell Murphy [Neil] and John Turner Blackwell, grandchildren Andrew John Ronald Bird [Caitlin], Maria Antonia Elizabeth Bird [Justin Wood], William Matthew James Bird, Rachel Cameron Murphy and Gemma Kate Murphy, and great-grandson Daniel John Andrew Bird. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 68 years, Kathleen MacAloney Blackwell, just nine months prior.

Jim was a devoted husband and father, and together with his wife created a home filled with music. He had bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education. As a lifelong musician and teacher, he brought the gift of music to so many through his role as a vocal music teacher at Catonsville Junior High School from 1958 to 1964, at Woodlawn High School from 1964 to 1985 and at Perry Hall High School from 1985 to 1991. He was also the organist/choirmaster at Epworth United Methodist Chapel from 1958 to 1965 and at Catonsville United Methodist Church from 1965 to 1988, continuing on as choirmaster until his retirement in 2001. He later agreed to step in as organist at West Baltimore Methodist Church, playing there until 2006.

Jim also accompanied the Catonsville Methodist singing group CUMCwhats from 2013 to 2019. And in 2016, more than 100 of his former Woodlawn High School students returned to Baltimore from across the country to sing under his baton once again in a reunion concert they called “Mr. Blackwell’s Opus.”

Jim gave hundreds of concerts at Baltimore area retirement homes over many years, accompanying his baritone friend Larry Stauffer. In 2019, while picking up the amplifier from one of these gigs, Jim permanently injured his back, rendering him never again able to play the organ or piano.

Jim met his wife Kathleen, then called “Kay,” when they were both 19 years of age, in an opera class at the University of Maryland, College Park, where they were music majors. They were married two days after graduation in 1954, in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, where Kay had grown up.

Jim was in the United States Airforce, first in ROTC at College Park, then as an officer, flying planes from air force bases across the United States, from Texas to Boston. He finished active duty in 1958 and continued to serve in the Air Force Reserves until 1967, ending his service career as a Captain.

In addition to being a musician, Jim was an avid photographer and artist, capturing the family’s many adventures through his camera lens. He and Kay went on many bicycling and hiking trips to California, Nova Scotia, Venezuela, New Zealand, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, England, Ireland, Scotland, Poland, Denmark and Germany, where one of his daughters lives. Two of Jim’s children lived many years on sailboats. He and his wife visited their children on their boats, sailing up the Inland Waterway and cruising in British Columbia, San Juan Islands, and Mexico. In 2001 he and Kay took a 100-day trip driving counter-clockwise around the entire United States, also visiting their daughter’s in-laws in Ontario, Canada.

Jim is remembered for being encouraging, inspiring and supportive. His generous mentorship always held high standards of excellence for and from all his singers. His rehearsals were fun, always laced with his often-inadvertent humor.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, October 28, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. at Catonsville United Methodist Church, 6 Melvin Ave, Catonsville, MD 21228. He will be interred at Meadowridge Memorial Park with military honors in a private family service before the memorial.

Memorial Services will be livestreamed via Catonsville United Methodist Church’s YouTube channel.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at garylkaufmanfuneralhome.com for the Blackwell family.