Ann Blackburn

Ann Dunker Blackburn was born on June 30th 1922 in Baltimore Md. and passed away on February 18, 2015 at the Stella Maris Hospice in Timonium. The cause of death was complications from advanced dementia.

The daughter of Robert Dunker, an A&P store manager, and Hilda Dunker, a nurse, Ann grew up on Harlem Avenue and attended Western High School. One of her classmates in elementary and junior high school was William Donald Schaeffer, the former Mayor of Baltimore, with whom she vied for top honors as best student. After graduation, she received an Associate’s Degree from the University of Baltimore, and went to work on the Baltimore News Post, rising quickly to the position of reporter.

Ann was “Mr. Fixit,” the writer of a column assisting readers with local government issues, such as potholes and malfunctioning streetlights. The paper soon realized however, that her photogenic appearance and breezy attitude were better put to use as a features writer. Her photograph was always prominently displayed accompanying interviews she conducted with visiting luminaries such as Ginger Rogers, Franchot Tone and Cecil Beaton. She “interviewed” Harvey, the invisible rabbit, along with his friend Edward Everett Horton, and even a cigar store Indian. She won a journalism prize for an article about throwing a pie at Leo Durocher, the famous baseball player.

At the beginning of World War II, Ann enlisted in the Coast Guard and rose quickly to a prominent position in charge of recruiting in the Western half of the United States, with offices in Denver and San Francisco. Her sunny disposition and good looks coaxed many recruits who had never even seen the ocean to join the Coast Guard. She was regularly featured in news articles promoting the war effort. She was also responsible for notifying next of kin of war casualties and arranging funerals.

After the war, Ann returned to the News Post, where she met her husband, Ben, who was an editor there. They married in 1951, and had their first son, David, in 1952, followed by Robin in 1953 and Brian in 1957. She resigned her position at the Baltimore News Post to devote herself to being a full time homemaker. After a brief move to Chicago, the family settled in Westview Park in the 1960’s, where she resided until recently. Ann was happily married to Ben until his untimely death in 1978. During this time, she was active in the League of Women Voters, and Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, where she served on the vestry, and was a member of the choir for more than 7 decades.

In the 1970’s Ann returned to the work force. She held positions as a public relations officer for the State Departments of Corrections, Transportation, and Health and Mental Hygiene. She retired in the 1987 sharing a home with her devoted daughter Robin and her father, Robert, whom she cared for devotedly for 15 years until his passing at the age of 99.

Ann and Robin enjoyed travelling to Great Britain and Europe, among other destinations. They both continued to sing in the Saint Bartholomew’s church choir until failing health required Ann to move to a nursing home in recent years.

Ann is survived by her brother and sister in law, Robert L. Dunker Jr. and Hermina Dunker; her children David Blackburn (and his wife, Peggy), Robin Blackburn, and Brian Blackburn; her nephew, Robert L. Dunker III, and her grandchildren, Elena Blackburn and Juan Carlos Blackburn.

Ann will always be remembered as a kind and loving mother, as well as an enterprising journalist, Coast Guard officer and public relations executive. She was a thoughtful, generous and well- loved member of the St Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church community. Visitation will be held at the Witzke funeral home on Edmonson Avenue on Sunday from 2 until 4 and 6 until 8. The funeral will be held at St Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church on Edmondson Avenue on Monday at 10:30 am. Instead of flowers, contributions may be made to the Saint Bartholomew’s Church Memorial Fund.