Blanks, James “Jamie” Rightman, of Tullahoma, passed this life on
Wednesday, February 6th, 2019 at Tennova Healthcare-Harton at the age of
81. He was born March 21, 1937 in Hohenwald, Tennessee, the son of
William “Billy” Ezekiel and Lillie Norine Harrell Blanks. Jamie attended
high school in McKenzie, Tennessee and enrolled at the University of
Tennessee Knoxville College of Engineering in 1955. He entered the
cooperative engineering program and had a work assignment with the Light,
Gas, and Water Division for the city of Memphis. Jamie was married
to his high school sweetheart, Janice Dean Webb, in 1959 and they were
married until her death in November of 1992. Both Jamie and Janice
graduated from the University of Tennessee with B.S. degrees in
Mechanical Engineering and Education respectively. Jamie accepted a
position with the Union Carbide Nuclear Company in Oak Ridge, TN. After
working with Union Carbide, Jamie accepted a position at AEDC in December
of 1962. During his time at AEDC, he worked primarily in the
hypervelocity range facilities and has been associated with operations,
research and project management. He also attended UTSI after moving to
Tullahoma and received his M.S. degree in mechanical engineering. Outside
of work, Jamie also enjoyed gardening, flowers and working in his yard as
well as working on genealogy, which began after the death of his maternal
grandfather in 1968. In addition to his parents and first wife, Jamie was
also preceded in death by his second wife, Carolyn Deaton Howell Blanks,
who died in 2008; his only brother, Billy Harrell Blanks; and three
step-children, Richard Gregory Howell, Patrick Matthew Howell and Jeffrey
Andrew Howell. He is survived by three children, Lisa Karen Blanks and
her husband, Mark Alan Ellis of Manchester, James Harrell Blanks and his
wife June-Ellen Schlimmer of Tullahoma and Laura Leigh Blanks and her
husband William Randolph Allen of Dunlap; one step-son, Timothy Blake
Howell and his wife Melonie of Tullahoma; three grandchildren, James Dean
Blanks, Janice Kathryn Allen and William Webb Allen; and three
step-grandchildren, Aaron Gregory Howell, Jacob Alexander Howell and
Ethan Matthew Howell. Visitation will be held on Friday, February 8th,
2019 at Kilgore Funeral Home from 5:00-8:00pm. Funeral services will be
held on Saturday, February 9th, 2019 at 11:00am in the Kilgore Funeral
Home Chapel with Bro. Pat Allison officiating. Burial will follow at Rose
Hill Memorial Gardens.
Kilgore Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
