Mr. Lloyd “L.D.” Blankenship, age 79, of Rowe, Virginia passed away Monday (May 22, 2023) in a Bristol Regional Medical Center. Born March 10, 1944 in Rowe, Virginia, he was a son of the late Sparrell and Dora Whitt Blankenship. A lifelong resident of the area, he was of the Pentecostal and Baptist faith. He learned to play the guitar at an early age and loved to play and sing bluegrass music. A retired coal miner, he had formerly been employed by Pittston Coal Company for twenty-five years and was a member of the UMWA. He enjoyed working with horses and was talented craftsman.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Steven Blankenship, five sisters, Carie Blankenship, Lona Street, Ilean Sanders, Mozelle Kampouris, and Mavis Martin, and seven brothers, Lawson, Eck, Arnold, Clifford, Willard, Harlan, and Curtis Blankenship.
Survivors include his wife of sixty years, Marie White Blankenship; two sons, Dale Blankenship and wife, Debi of Grundy and Jeffrey Blankenship and wife, Kare of Asheboro, North Carolina; grandchildren, Amanda Blankenship and Drew Meade, Tabitha Hughes and husband, Mo, Ali Phillips and husband, Derick, Andy Berry and wife, Taylor, Eric Lawhorn and wife, Robin, Mitchell Lawhorn and wife, Bobbie, Kimberly White and husband, Shane, Richelle Brooks and husband, Ryan, and Derrick Stacy; great-grandchildren, Landon Smith, Dominic Hughes, Taytum Blankenship, Easton Phillips, Gracyn and Jaiden Hughes, Jeremy, Shayna, and Reagan Berry-Poteat, Annalise, Victoria, Reese, and Ryann Lawhorn, A.J., Riley, and Madison White, Kaylee Robinette, Addison Scott, and Olivia Stacy; one expected great-grandchild in December; sister, Daisy Burress and husband, Jimmy of Abingdon; Cindy Keen, who he loved like a daughter; and many extended family and friends whom he loved dearly also survive.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 PM Saturday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel, Honaker, Virginia with Rev. Roger Null officiating. Interment will follow in the Whitt Cemetery at Rowe, Virginia.
Pallbearers will be Dale Blankenship, Jim Blankenship, Michael Blankenship, Mark Blankenship, Stevie Street, Timmy Wayne Hess, Mo Hughes, and Mitchell Street.
Honorary pallbearers will be Derick Phillips, Drew Meade, Steven Jessee, and Christopher Jessee.
The family will receive friends at the Honaker Funeral Home after 6:00 PM, where an evening song service will be conducted at 7:00 PM.