James Harold Blackwood

July 23,1932-November 5, 2026

James Harold Blackwood was born Lawrenceburg, TN to William and Ruble Blackwood on July 23, 1932. During WWII, while most of the military-aged males were away fighting, young James Harold and his peers were called upon to work on the farm and keep the home front safe and productive. When he was old enough, he joined his father driving trucks to deliver whatever commodities were in need of transport. He told of nights sleeping on a pallet under the truck when the trip required overnight travel.

When the Korean conflict broke out, James Harold was drafted into the US Air Force where he was eventually stationed at Bryan Air Force Base in Texas. He traveled to the base by bus, and he said the bus stopped on the side of the road and the driver pointed and said: “Head that way and you’ll find the base.” When he arrived, he found that the “base” consisted of one shack. He reported for duty and was told to go back home, and they’d let him know when the living quarters were built. Some time after he got settled into his new quarters, James Harold slipped away from the base and went back home to Tennessee to marry his high-school sweetheart, Malene Roberts. When he returned to base with his new bride, his sergeant expressed his displeasure about this escapade and demoted him as a result. James considered his demotion to be a small price to pay for his new life with Malene. Their marriage was blessed with three children, Ernest Harold (Carol), William Randall (Jo Ann), and Connie Lynnette (Steve Gulley.) They enjoyed 35 years together before Malene passed away in 1988, but not before meeting her first grandchild, Victoria (John Wilkes).

James later was blessed to meet and marry Elizabeth (Liz) Brooks, who loved to fish as much as he did and loved his children as though they were her own. He always quipped that any time he bought anything related to fishing, he had to buy two. She was not going to allow him to have a lure that she didn’t have, also. During their marriage, two more grandchildren were added to the family via Randall and Jo Ann, Tiffanie and Brent. James and shared 23 years together before the Lord called her home.

An avid Auburn fan, James eventually moved to Opelika, just a few minutes from his beloved Auburn. He became a faithful attender of Lakeside Church of God, where he met Evelyn McCarty. Evelyn was widowed, also and the two of them began keeping company by feeding the geese at the church pond, eating out at a stunning variety of eateries in the area, and just riding the roads. Some of the spark went out of James with Evelyn’s death.

Along the way, James had a storied career that spanned from regional supplier of a variety of items for small stores around Texas, to being involved in the development and sales of several communities in Northwest Huntsville. He worked for many years at GTE in Huntsville and was subsequently hired by a series of NASA and Redstone Arsenal contractors to manage and deliver inventory, including computer and other electronic components for a variety of space and defense projects.

James was preceded in death by his parents, William and Ruble, wives, Malene and Liz, special friend, Evelyn McCarty, one brother, Robert and his devoted wife, Sheilla, a sister, Barbara and her husband, Glenn Tidwell, brother-in-law, Buck Amos, and two precious nephews, Brian Amos and Ben Blackwood. He is survived by a brother, Ralph (Cindy), a sister, Brenda Amos, two sons, William Randall (Jo Ann), and Ernest Harold (Carol), one daughter, Connie Gulley (Steve), grandchildren, Victoria Wilkes (John), Tiffanie Kennedy, and Brent; as well as great-grandchildren, a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Graveside services will be held Monday, November 9 at 1:00 p.m. at Lawrence County Memorial Gardens, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. A memorial service will be held at Lakeside Church of God on November 14 at 11:00.