George W. Blankenship, Ret MAJ ,US Army, age 69, of Gulfport, MS, died Thursday, February 9, 2012 at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Funeral Home. Visitation will be Saturday, February 11, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Home. The funeral service will be Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 2:00 PM in the chapel of Memorial Funeral Home, with Rev. Charles Mullins, officiating. Burial, with full military honors, will immediately follow in Curtis Chapel Cemetery in Starkville, MS. The son of the late Willie Edgar and Mary Belle Odum Blankenship, he was born August 3, 1942 in Mayhew, MS. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he retired from the US Army with the rank of Major as Chief Communications Equipment Maintenance and Operations in the Signal Corps. He was a recipient of the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medals, Vietnam Service Medal with 1 Silver Star, as well as numerous other awards. He also served tours of duty in Korea, Germany and several Army posts in the United States. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother Willie Edgar Blankenship, Jr. He is survived by his wife Suki Huang Blankenship of Gulfport, MS, son Willie Blankenship of Whiteman AFB, Knob Noster, MO, daughters Brandy Blankenship and her husband Mag of Charlotte, NC and Donna Blankenship Jackson of Hamilton, MS., brothers Larry Blankenship and his wife Barbara of Raymond, MS and Jimmy Blankenship and his wife Shirley of Columbus, sisters Mary V. Thompson and her husband Sidney and Betty Buchanan, all of Columbus and a sister-in-law Linda Blankenship of Bean Station, TN. He is also survived by his grandsons Michael Blankenship, and Mitch and Miles Jackson. Pallbearers will be Jimmy Blankenship, Larry Blankenship, Dewayne Blankenship, Sidney Thompson, Jr., Kenneth Thompson, and David Lee White. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 697 West Main St., Suite C., Tupelo, MS 38804 or to Veterans of Foreign Wars, 406 West 34th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111.
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