Milton Harris Blackstone

May 5, 1924 - May 6, 2020

Milton Harris Blackstone, World War II veteran and a resident of La Jolla for 52 years, passed away from heart failure one day after his 96th birthday after a week in the hospital.

Milton was born in New York Harbor aboard the S.S. Leviathan where his father was a tailor. Weighing only 1 lb. 3 oz. he was known as Leviathan boy in the headlines of the day. He entered the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942 and participated in the European, Asiatic-Pacific and American Theaters of the war. He served in the 7th Ferrying Group of the Air Transport Command, at Gore Field in Great Falls, Montana, where he met his future wife, Elvira Maki. They were married in San Rafael on July 11, 1945, and were together nearly 66 years until Elvira passed.

They moved to New York in 1947 where Milton worked in radio and television. He was the first columnist for television, first agent for animal acts, and an agent known to many famous personalities. He co-produced the first Macy’s Day parade and was executive producer of Guy Lombardo’s New Year’s Eve Show for five years. He developed and ran the Comedians’ Golf Classic for 18 years, beginning in New York. When invited to consult with the Andy William’s San Diego Open golf tournament. Milton fell in love with San Diego and moved the family to La Jolla in 1968, continuing the Comedians’ Golf Classic in California. After health concerns forced him to slow down, Milton continued to work as a sports writer, fund raiser and advocate for needs for the disabled.

Milton was a great advocate for persons with disabilities. In 1958, his son was born blind and with multiple disabilities due to prenatal exposure to rubella. Milton and Elvira refused to heed doctor’s who told them to institutionalize their son. Instead they became lifelong advocates of family support and family-like homes for severely disabled people. When they were told their son was “uneducable,” they helped start the Association for the Advancement of Blind Children and the first school for multi handicapped/blind children in New York. In California, Milton served on the Area Board 13 and then the State Board for Developmental Disabilities. He was instrumental in establishing Regional Centers throughout the state and helping to decentralize the state institutions. He founded Friends of Handicapped Children, helped to start Care Village, was active with the ARC of San Diego and was the first president of the San Diego tent of the Variety Club. He established the DIGSIG, the Disabled Interest Group of the San Diego Computer Society to refurbish computers for use by persons with disabilities. “Before I’m Gone: A Parent’s Perspective” is a chapter he wrote in the book, Guardianship for the Disabled, always concerned about lifetime support in a natural home setting for his son.

In his later years, Milton enjoyed researching genealogy and recounting stories from World War II and the entertainment business. He was very thankful for support from the Friendly Visitors program of La Jolla Meals on Wheels and for services for his son from Ideal Care, San Diego Regional Center and In-Home Support Services. This enabled Milton and Jamee to live together in their own home.

Milton was preceded in death by his wife, Elvira (Maki) Blackstone; father, Isaac Joseph Blackstone; and mother, Gussie (Lenzner) Blackstone. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Jana and Michael Birch, son Jamee Blackstone, grandchildren, Juliette and Graham Birch; great-granddaughter, Chloe Belle Buckley, step-grandchildren Antony (wife, Dianna) Birch and Colin (wife, Rene) Birch; and step-great-grandchildren, Katelynn, Natalie, Garrett, and Austin Birch.

Milton was buried at Miramar National Memorial Park and a memorial held July 11, 2020. Donations can be given in Milton’s memory to the ARC of San Diego or Meals on Wheels of La Jolla.