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Early Memorial Day parade for an icon

Paul Blackburn had his Memorial Day parade early.

That observation to the audience came from Dan Vojvodich, former commander of the Richmond American Legion Post 740 Honored Seven who was one of the eulogists at Blackburn’s funeral held May 18 at the Everhart-Bove Funeral Home in Richmond.

It was a comment reiterated by Wayne Everhart as well.

Both were made in reference to the many who made their way through the funeral home to pay their respects in tribute to a Richmond icon who died May 13 at the age of 84.

The “parade” came yet again as the funeral procession began to make its way to the cemetery, stopping along Main Street near the Crew House Museum where a group of Blackburn’s friends, many of them Richmond Community Historical Society members, lined the sidewalk. They wore their patriotic “In Richmond We Remember” T-shirts and waved their flags in a final salute, capped off with Phil Judy, historical society president, ringing the old school bell near the museum steps.

As Sandy Judy, the historical society secretary, would tell me later, “It was to honor Paul’s memory and his love of Richmond.”

She added, “He did so much that people didn’t even know about.”

He loved his country, too, and respected its veterans.

Blackburn was a World War II Navy veteran and a member of the Richmond American Legion, having served as its treasurer for many years.

As I waited my turn in line to pay my respects, there was a picture that caught my attention, because it was an old-time photo of Richmond Legion members. I couldn’t help but notice the man in the middle — my dad, Jay W. “Pidge” Hout.

Up until May 13, Blackburn had been the sole survivor out of that group of Richmond Legion guys, pictured in it as a very young man.

Vojvodich made reference to that very fact as he called out some of the names of the men in the photo.

And he recalled the Saturday tradition of Memorial Day weekend how Blackburn was always at the ready to help place flags on the graves of veterans in Richmond area cemeteries.

That number of final resting places for service men and women totals about 406, according to Vojvodich.

Although Blackburn worked as a welder at Weirton Steel, retiring after 36 years of service, he also worked 40 years part time for the village of Richmond in the water department.

Ten of those years he read indoor water meters in more than 250 village homes, the Hout House being one of his stops.

“Water man!” he would announce his presence — a voice I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

He was a friendly face, a fun guy with an ornery smile, a caring person, someone who was always a pleasure to be around.

I remember my mother recalling her early days as a new teacher at Jefferson Union High School. She would get a chuckle remembering how she shooed from the hall in between classes lovebirds Paul and his girlfriend, Gwen, who would be his wife of 64 years.

On Memorial Day, Blackburn always marched down Main Street with the Legion until later years when he rode the route in the Legion truck.

I think on Monday, when Richmond’s “God Bless America” parade gets under way, he’ll be there in spirit.

For those he left behind, his family, including brother Bob, my condolences on a great community loss.

(Kiaski, a resident of Richmond, is a staff columnist and features writer for the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times and community editor for the Herald-Star. She can be contacted at jkiaski@heraldstaronline.com.)

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