Richard "Dick" E. Blackstone

BLACKSTONE, Richard “Dick” Edgar, age 94, of Oregonia and formerly of the Zanesville area, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 17, 2025, in his sleep. Dick was born in Bloomfield, Ohio. Growing up with eight siblings, he was the last surviving child born to parents Daniel and Jessie Blackstone. Shortly after graduating from Hopewell High School, he married the love of his life, Evelyn Louise Gutridge. He and Ebbie (as he called her) were married for over 73 years. He spent his entire working career as a railroader for the Baltimore and Ohio RR, later known as the Chessie System and CSX. He formally retired in 1986 after 36 years of service on the tracks. A proud Christian, Dick had deep faith in God and attended Oregonia United Methodist Church and, in later years, Olive Branch Church. Family-oriented, funny, soft-hearted, caring, creative, and innovative, Dick was mechanically inclined and great at problem-solving. Dick may have been the first person to convert a caravan into a camper, albeit homemade out of necessity and without fanfare. In addition, he was known for getting railroad cars back on the tracks after a derailment with his problem-solving skills. During his younger days, Dick, Ebbie, and their friends would utilize his railroad connections to travel by train to Nashville on a regular basis to attend county music shows at the Grand Ole Opry in the old Ryman Auditorium, which became a fond tradition. They also owned an Airstream and traveled on many trips, as far east as Maine, as far west as Alaska, and many exciting places in between. For many years, they attended the annual Airstream Convention, usually with a couple of the grandchildren along for fun. His other hobbies included fishing, hunting, golfing, square dancing, and playing the guitar. He had a passion toward country music, especially the old country classics. A lifelong fan of sports, Dick loved rooting for his favorite sports teams, the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Browns. After his formal retirement, Dick and Evelyn built a home on eight acres in Oregonia. He loved spending time working on the property by mowing the acreage and growing strawberries and tomatoes. During the holidays, it became a family tradition to cut down a tree on their property for use as a Christmas tree. During the Christmas season each year, they planted a pine tree to honor one of the kids or grandkids, thereby keeping the property properly maintained. Also, during the Christmas season, the family would have bake-off competitions, whereby a common ingredient had to be used. The competition came with trophies for the best-baked goods. During Halloween, they had their own version of the famous Farm Aid event, but what they referred to as Band Aid. Hosted on their property, family and friends gathered to enjoy tractor rides, fellowship, good food, and a jam session performed by many of the attendees. Dick would play the guitar during the events, which he always looked forward to. Dick and Evelyn also enjoyed a tradition of traveling with their family during their 50th, 60th, and 70th-year milestone anniversaries to Branson, Gatlinburg, and Nashville, Indiana. Dick and Evelyn spent the last few years at Tapestry Assisted Living, watching a lot of TV while sitting on the couch holding hands. Among many things, he will be remembered for his love of country music, homemade ice cream, mayonnaise cake, and Yahoo Chocolate Drink. A character trait instilled in him at a very young age, Dick always had a proper crease in his pants by placing them under his mattress, regardless of whether they were jeans or suit pants. His love of family and family values continued throughout his entire life. He will also be remembered for his unwavering faith in God, which he proudly displayed by often wearing a hat proclaiming his faith. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, John Blackstone, Vince Blackstone, and Ray Blackstone; and five sisters, Jessie Freeman, Vi Smith, Della Nolan, Dottie Cohen, and Vern McNeal. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn; son, Rick (Barbara) Blackstone; daughter, Vicki (Charles David) Blair; four grandchildren, Jennifer (Mark) Gogel, Stephanie (Mike) Faul, Hannah Blair, and Nathanael Blair (Linnea Albers); and seven great-grandchildren, Ellie, Sam, Maddie, Gabe, Jocelyn, Gordon, and Evelyn. The family will receive friends 4 -6 PM Wednesday, March 26 at Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville. A second visitation will be held from Noon - 1 PM Thursday, March 27, at the Gratiot United Methodist Church, and will be immediately followed by a funeral service at 1 PM at the church. Burial with committal service will follow the funeral in Poplar Fork Cemetery in Mt. Perry, Ohio. In lieu of flowers and in Dick’s honor, contributions may be made to the Olive Branch Church, 7315 Wilmington Rd., Oregonia, Ohio 45054; the Wounded Warrior Project, support.woundedwarriorproject.org; or Tunnels to Towers Foundation, dogood.t2t.org. Condolences may be made to the family at www.stubbsconner.com.

Richard "Dick" E. Blackstone

January 9, 1931 - March 17, 2025