Robert Owens Blackwood, a long-time Florence funeral director, passed away Saturday, May 5, 2012. He was 75. The visitation will be Monday from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at Elkins Funeral Home. The funeral service will be Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in the Elkins Chapel with the Rev. Carey Collum and the Rev. L.B. Mays officiating. Burial will follow in Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens.
Robert devoted forty years of his life to others serving as a funeral director and embalmer and funeral home manager at Elkins Funeral Home, retiring in 2001. He had served in the U.S. Army and was an avid fisherman and enjoyed camping. He was a member of the Cypress Creek Methodist Church.
Robert is survived by his wife of 52 years Sheilla Ann Blackwood; sisters Barbara Tidwell of Lawrenceburg, TN and Brenda Amos of Franklin, TN; brothers James Blackwood and wife Elizabeth of Huntsville and William Ralph Blackwood and wife Cindy of Knoxville, TN; numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents William and Ruble Blackwood; brothers-in-law Buck Amos and Glenn Tidwell; a nephew Brian Amos.
Pallbearers will be Terry Howard, Rodney Howard, Willie L. Owens, Randy Keenum, James Sockwell, Sonny Carter, Victor Cox and Ronny Magnusson. Honorary bearers will be Dr. Ricky Irons, Bill Bowen, Johnny Hill and Willie T. Hill.
The family would like to thank Dr. Ricky Irons and the ICU staff at ECM.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.