Evelyn Louise Blackstone's Obituary
BLACKSTONE, Evelyn Louise (née Gurtridge), age 91, of Oregonia, and formerly of Newark, passed away at Tapestry Senior Living in Springboro, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, just weeks after her husband, Dick, died.
Evelyn was born and raised on a farm in Brownsville, Ohio. She was the oldest of four daughters, born to Mary and Milford Gutridge. Mary and Milford were hardworking farmers and devout Christians, whom Evelyn modeled her life after, loved, and cherished to her last day.
Evelyn met her future husband, Dick Blackstone, while attending Hopewell High School. At Hopewell, she was in class plays, a proud member of the cheerleading team, and class valedictorian. Dick and Evelyn married shortly after graduation and spent the next 73 years living a full life together. Soon after their wedding, Evelyn served as the president of the Child Conservation League in Newark, promoting positive relationships between parents, children, and the community.
Family-oriented, kind, and soft-hearted, Evelyn was a giver in every sense of the word. She was the glue that kept everyone and everything together. She was a stay-at-home mom, and as a homemaker, everything had its place; the house was always clean, and dinner was at 5:00 PM sharp every evening (think June Cleaver). She loved to read books and enjoyed canning.
She was known for her exceptional skills as a seamstress. For her daughter, Vicki, she made a wide variety of outfits, from daily wear to special occasions, including a prom dress and costumes worn in high school plays. She made dresses for the grandkids and for their dolls. She was known for creating intricate Halloween costumes that have been passed on to her great-grandkids.
She was a woman of deep faith in Christ. She attended Oregonia United Methodist Church and, in later years, Olive Branch Church. Over the years, she touched many lives, serving as a Sunday School teacher. Kids she taught would continue to reach out to her years and years after being in her class.
During his career, Dick’s job required at least 14 moves. Evelyn prided herself on leaving each house in immaculate condition from floor to ceiling. After the kids left the nest, Evelyn went to a technical school to brush up on her administration skills. She worked several temporary assignments while they were living in Huntington, West Virginia, with her favorite being at Martha White Mills.
Dick and Evelyn loved to travel with family and friends. Many trips included camping. She would fondly recall their many camping trips to Old Man's Cave in Kentucky with her mother and daddy. They owned numerous Airstream campers and attended several Airstream conventions, quite often with grandkids in tow. One of her favorite trips was an Airstream expedition to Alaska.
Evelyn loved sending newsy handwritten letters. She was known for her beautiful penmanship. For Christmas, she would write dozens of individual/personalized letters.
When Dick retired, they returned to the Dayton area, building a house and barn on eight acres in Oregonia. Always willing to get her hands dirty, Evelyn helped mow, weed, and maintain the grounds, keeping it in pristine condition. Hosting company was a big source of joy. She loved to “put out a spread,” specializing in comfort food, dessert, and fun for all.
Christmas was her favorite holiday. She enjoyed making and sharing caramels. She also liked to hide the pickle ornament on the tree and watch everyone search for it to determine who would open the first present. She would give each grandchild and great-grandchild a personalized ornament each year. Well into her 70s, she participated in the Miamisburg Turkey Trot several years, placing second in her age group. It upset her to never beat that other “old lady.”
Dick and Evelyn spent their last few years at Tapestry Senior Living in Springboro, watching a lot of TV while sitting on the couch holding hands. They especially enjoyed watching the Cincinnati Reds. Her favorite players were Billy Hamilton and Pete Rose. She still had her doubts that Pete bet on baseball.
Evelyn was preceded in death by husband of 73 years, Dick Blackstone; her parents, Mary and Milford Gutridge; and brother-in-law, Jack Grimm. She is survived by one son, Rick (Barbara) Blackstone; one daughter, Vicki (Charles David) Blair; four grandchildren, Jennifer (Mark) Gogel, Stephanie (Mike) Faul, Hannah Blair, and Nathanael Blair (Linnea Albers); seven great-grandchildren, Ellie, Sam, Maddie, Gabe, Jocelyn, Gordon, and her namesake Evelyn; three sisters who she loved spending time with by phone and whenever possible in person, Barbra Grimm, Roma Grumm, and Lois (Jim) Graves; a nephew raised by Mary and Milford, Paul Pollock; and her favorite cat, Callie.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 PM Wednesday, May 7, at Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville. A second visitation will be held from Noon to 1 PM Thursday, May 8, at the Gratiot United Methodist Church, and will be immediately followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. at the church. Steve Williamson will be officiating. Burial with committal service will follow the funeral in Poplar Fork Cemetery in Gratiot.
Special thanks to every staff member at Tapestry for the wonderful loving care they provided to both Evelyn and Dick. Hospice caregivers also deserve a special thank you for their kind and caring touch. In lieu of flowers and in Evelyn’s honor, contributions may be made to Hospice of Dayton.
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