A Funeral Service to celebrate the life of Mr. Carroll Blankenship, 76, of Waskom, Texas will be held at 1:00pm, Sunday, May 28, 2017 in the Chapel of Downs Funeral Home, Marshall, Texas. A Graveside Service will follow at Walnut Hill Cemetery in Bradley, Arkansas at 4:00pm. Visitation with family and friends will take place Saturday, May 27, 2017 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm at Downs Funeral Home. Mr. Blankenship passed away peacefully Friday, May 19, 2017 at his home.

Carroll Blankenship was born in Bradley, Arkansas to Nettie Cook and James Blankenship, and later moved with his family to Shreveport, Louisiana. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served honorably for 3 ½ years onboard the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA-31. Carroll was married 3 times in his life. Shortly after his service he married his first wife, Deanna; they moved to Austin, Texas and had three sons, Joe, Tony, and James. After 11 years of marriage, they divorced and Carroll moved back to Shreveport. Carroll married his second wife, Gene, and had a daughter, Carolyn. Carroll and Gene divorced and he remarried one last time. His third wife was Nancy. They married in Shreveport and moved to a small farm in Waskom a few years later. They shared 26 years together until she passed away. Together they raised grandchildren and as many animals as their small farm would allow. For many years their passion was breeding and owning miniature horses. They also loved to travel across the U.S. in their RV. Carroll had several hobbies throughout his life including, hunting, fishing, coin collecting, and hunting for diamonds in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Carroll worked as a Millwright for General Motors in Shreveport for more than 20 years, and was a proud United Auto Worker Union Member Local 2166.

Surviving Carroll are his children, Joe Blankenship; daughter-in-law, Tonya Palmer wife of Tony; James Blankenship and wife, Jennifer; Carolyn Watters and husband, Scott; and Kimberly Hudson-Walker and husband, Warren; two siblings, Doris Leach and Johnnie Blankenship; sister-in-law, Margrett Blankenship; grandchildren, Michael Helton, Stephanie Adams, Clint Blankenship, Amber Blankenship, Tiffany Blankenship Sims, Tyler Blankenship, Margaret Blankenship, Luke Blankenship, Brittany Wallace, Christopher Benefield, Dakota Blankenship, and Alex Williams; great-grandchildren, Angel, Zane, Kaylee, Madison, Elissa, Josh, Brileigh, Braxton, and Alayna; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Carroll was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Thames Blankenship; son, Tony Blankenship; daughter-in-law, Tammy Blankenship wife of Joe; sisters, Freddie Blankenship White, Nona Fay Blankenship; and brothers, Henry, J.C. and his wife, Alana, and Joseph Blankenship; and parents, James and Nettie Blankenship.

Obituary provided by his loving family.