Blankenship, Jody R.

Jody R. Blankenship, age 47, passed away on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at his home in Christiansburg, VA. Born August 31, 1975, in Pearisburg, VA, he was the son of the late Ronnie and Hazel Buckland Blankenship.

Jody was a photographer who loved creating artwork for others to enjoy. He was a volunteer with New River Community Action (NRCA), helping out in a variety of ways, often at the NRCA food pantry organizing and handing out donations, but also doing landscaping, assisting with computers, and serving dinner to the To Our House Program guests. The To Our House Program, was special to Jody, founded in 2010, to fill the need of emergency shelter for men in the New River Valley who were displaced in housing. Each winter since then, New River Valley men who are homeless have been provided with temporary shelter by different host churches and given meals by different support churches. In 2017, NRCA recognized Jody for his outstanding volunteer work and the efforts to help others. In an interview for NRCA he was quoted saying “Seeing all the people who need help and being able to help them has made a big difference in my life. After I started volunteering everything started to fall in place.”

In addition to his parents, Jody was preceded in death by his son, Stevie Blankenship; beloved maternal grandparents Granny Janice Buckland, who was instrumental in his childhood, and Grandpa Garfield Buckland; paternal grandparents, Snooky and Thelma Blankenship; and uncle Azel Buckland.

Survivors include one brother, Shannon Blankenship and wife Chris of Peterstown, WV; Aunt Bonnie Blankenship Hawley, Uncle Dexter Blankenship, Aunt Louis Jean Buckland Mitchem, cousins, nieces and nephews.

In keeping with Jody’s wishes, he will be cremated and then buried at Peterstown Cemetery with his parents. A graveside service will be held at 7:00PM on Friday, June 30, 2023, at the Peterstown Cemetery in Rich Creek, VA.

Online guestbook can be signed or condolences may be sent to the family at www.broyles-shrewsbury.com. Arrangements by Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, Peterstown, WV.