Maurice "Blackie" Blackwell

MEMORIAL SERVICE: 2 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park Mausoleum in Colleyville.

Maurice, or “Blackie” as he was known to many, was born June 24, 1931, to Clyde E. and Blanche V. Blackwell. He graduated from Carthage (Mo.) High School and met his future wife, Phyllis Hermann, who worked in the abstract office of the Jasper County Courthouse. They married Feb. 10, 1952.

He earned the nickname “Blackie” as an accomplished gun slinger while performing at community events in Missouri.

After short careers as a route driver at Brown & Williamson Tobacco and Dolly Madison Bakery Cake Co., “Blackie” ventured into welding supply sales, which took he and Phyllis, and their boys Michael and Timothy, to Kansas City, Mo. In 1973, he accepted a regional manager position with Eutectic Corp. of Flushing, N.Y. and the family moved to Bedford, Texas. A motivated, self-starter who had a firm handshake and a trusting smile, “Blackie” left Eutectic a few years later and started his own company. He operated Ultra Alloys − a welding supply company that specialized in application solutions for maintenance and repair − into his late 70s. In addition to running Ultra Alloys, Maurice was active in the Bedford community and served on the city council. He was a member of the National Guard and several civic organizations, including Optimist and Rotary. He frequently offered to drive dignitaries in his 1976 Cadillac El Dorado convertible in local parades. During their later years in marriage, in which both suffered from Alzheimer’s, “Blackie” and Phyllis had an inseparable bond that strengthened each day until Phyllis’ death in 2017.

“Blackie” was a favorite of staff at the memory care unit in Keller where he resided the past two years. The family would like to thank those who cared for him in his final days.

SURVIVORS: Maurice is survived by sons, Tim and wife Stacey of Keller; Michael and wife Louise of Bedford; niece, Kelly Graber and great nephew Zach of Keller; and other nieces and nephews.

MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions can be made in “Blackie’s” memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, North Central Texas Chapter in Fort Worth.