Blackford - Merle
MERLE BLACKFORD
Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review 19-Apr-1962 p. 4
Wingate - Merle Wayne Blackford, 30, a resident of Wingate, died of double pneumonia at Robert Long Hospital, Indianapolis, at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. He had been at the hospital in critical condition for a week. He was born June 30, 1932, in Coal Creek Township, the son of Cletus and Orpha Etter Blackford. On Jan. 25, 1951, he was married to Grace Redmon in the Jackson Heights neighborhood. Mr. Blackford was a farmer at Wingate and also helped Robert Rankin with a small trucking business. He lived on his farm two miles south of Wingate for 11 years. He was educated in Wingate School and was a member of Wingate Masonic Lodge 633 and of Wingate OES Chapter 336. His illness began in February. Survivors include the wife; four children, Rickey Wayne, Deborah Lynn, Sandra Kay and Brenda Sue, all at home; his parents, a sister, Mrs. Delores Simms of Valparaiso; a niece and two nephews, and two aunts and uncles. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Servies Funeral Home at Waynetown, Rev. Carl Nesbit officiating. Burial will be in Waynetown Masonic Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home. - kbz