Blankenship Sr., Richard Melvin

Richard Melvin Blankenship Sr., of 1405 Wenonah Avenue, in Pearisburg, departed this life on Monday afternoon, September 24, 2012, at Giles Community Hospital in Pearisburg. Born in Dublin on August 28, 1947, he was a son of the late Cecil Carr Blankenship and Clara Josephine Bolden Clemens; and stepson of the late Paul Clemens. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Cecil Carl Blankenship; and his nephew, Stacy Lovell. He leaves to cherish his memory his sons and daughters-in-law, Matthew and Krista Blankenship, of Pearisburg, and Richard M. Junior and Terry Blankenship, of Pembroke; his daughter and son-in-law, Sheila and Kenny Belcher, of Lindside, W.Va.; his brother, Scott Blankenship, of Millers Creek, N.C.; his sisters and brothers- in-law, Mary Joyce and Archie Minton, of Millers Creek, N.C., Lois Faye and Richard Perdue, of Pearisburg, Barbara Diane and Richard Young, of Dublin, and Virginia and Tony Pennington, of Glen Lyn; his nine grandchildren; and his eight great-grandchildren. Funeral Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 27, 2012, in the Kendall Funeral Home, 605 Snidow St., Pembroke with burial following in Fairview Cemetery at Narrows. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday evening, September 26, 2012, from 6 until 8 p.m. Friends and family will gather at the home at 1405 Wenonah Ave. in Pearisburg at all other times. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting kendallfuneralhome.com.