George Eugene Blackmer

George Eugene Blackmer, Jr., 82, of Longmont, died February 13, 2007 at Exempla Good Samaritan Hospital, Lafayette.George was born December 21, 1925 in Boulder, Colorado, to George Blackmer, Sr. and Martha Hockaday Blackmer. He graduated from Boulder High School in 1942. Prior to his graduation and underage, George had joined the National Guard to help support his family. George went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps during World War II from 1943 to 1947. He was awarded a Silver Star and Purple Heart. Two years after returning to Colorado, he married Joan Moore, also from Boulder, on June 26, 1949 at a service held in Lafayette, Colorado. George returned to the U.S. Armed Forces from 1949 to 1952, during the Korean War, this time serving in the United States Air Force. All told, he served in three branches of the military: the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Air Force. Except for his years in the military, he spent his entire life in Boulder County. He was a fifth generation member of the Hockaday family of Boulder County. A number of his ancestors are buried on the family homestead on the backside of Flagstaff Mountain.Upon returning from the service in 1952, George joined the Boulder Fire Department. He retired from the Department in 1983, having served 32 years and having risen through the ranks to Battalion Chief. He continued working for ten years afterwards for the Sutherland Lumber Company in their Boulder store.During the course of George?s adult life he was a member of the Boulder Elks Club #566 for the past 60 years. The Blackmers moved to Longmont in 1998 and joined Westview Presbyterian Church.Preceding him in death are his parents and two brothers.Surviving are his wife of Longmont; a daughter, Susan Darnell and husband, Hank P. Darnell of Vancouver, WA; sons, Ross Blackmer and wife, Teresa, of Greeley, CO, and Kent Blackmer and wife, Beth, of Old Snowmass, CO; four grandchildren, Kristin Darnell-Padilla, Chad Darnell, Kyle and Sean Blackmer; a brother, Richard Blackmer of Louisville; and a sister, Helen Zenobile of Warren, Ohio.A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, February 17, 2007 at Westview Presbyterian Church, with the Reverend Bruce McQueen officiating. In accord with George?s wishes, he will be cremated and his remains will be interred at Green Mountain Cemetery in Boulder in a private ceremony. Contributions may be made to the Westview Presbyterian Church, 1500 Hover Road, Longmont, CO 80501.