BLACKWELL, Roy Harold
Roy Harold Blackwell was born in Asheville, North Carolina on October 21, 1952, where he lived until six years of age. As his Daddy received promotions with the railroad, the family moved frequently to various cities -- Columbia, Atlanta, Salisbury and Richmond. They spent summer vacations camping, which were a highlight for the children as those were the only times they had sweets. Roy had rheumatic fever and was bedridden in a darkened room for almost a year resulting in a heart murmur, but never let that dull his love of life. While in Cub Scouts, Roy was playing in a field and cut his leg which led to finding out he had bone cancer in his leg. The cancer was removed, the bone packed, and he was good to go.
He attended Boyden High School in Salisbury, North Carolina, and Briarcliff High School in Atlanta, where he met his first wife. As life happens, Roy welcomed his first son, John into the world. To support his young family, Roy went to work in a grocery store and a cotton mill, became an apprentice electrician, and managed a warehouse that manufactured ball-bearings.
In 1980, Roy and John moved to Washington, D.C., settling in Alexandria, Virginia. Roy worked for the US House of Representatives Office of the Clerk, started a successful office cleaning business, and a successful painting business.
Roy took a six-month adventure to explore Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. On top of exploring the beautiful landscapes and making new friends, he worked on a sheep farm and tried his hand with bee-keeping.
When he returned to Virginia, he met his wife and life-long partner, Lisa. He was wearing a Fijian wrap when they were first introduced, and she said he had better legs than she did!
Roy moved to be near John, who was preparing to attend college in Georgia. He took up woodworking and joined the Woodworkers Guild of Georgia, where he held several officer positions. He entered a number of his creations in competitions and found a new passion. Many of his art pieces are treasured today by family and friends, as he loved giving them away.
Roy and Lisa married in June of 1993 and had two sons, Parker and Jason. Roy was trail blazer, taking on the role of an At Home Dad. Roy never missed an opportunity to get involved with what the boys were doing – volunteering at school, sports, and with the community. He also continued in woodworking, and eventually went into business with his dear friend, Donna Patrick, to produce PitchRx, a pitch and resin remover/cleaner for the woodworking industry.
Through his avid volunteerism and involvement at the schools, Roy introduced his boys to the world of Scouting. He became a leader for Cub Scouts and later helped in founding Troop 3000. He was involved in the Atlanta Area Council while also guiding his sons to become Eagle Scouts. The three of them spent years hiking, camping, backpacking, rafting and canoeing. They were fortunate to travel to Camp Daniel Boone, Philmont Scout Ranch, Sea Base - Abaco, and Washington D.C. for the National Jamboree. They created countless memories while also surviving hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods during that time! He loved knowing that he was making a difference in many young men's lives.
He was also very involved with supporting Parker in marching band at Milton High School and helping Jason start up his own lawn care service, and other entrepreneurial endeavors over the years – like father like son. As the boys went off to Georgia Southern University, Roy travelled to Colorado on a regular basis to visit John and his family. John introduced him to the beauties of fly fishing and another new hobby – tying flies!
In November 2022, Roy was diagnosed with lung cancer, however he did not let that hold him back. He continued to travel with the family and have adventures where he could — taking a cruise to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St Thomas, and Haiti was a highlight of 2023.
He was thankful for his oncology team, and always tried to make them smile and laugh when he had office visits. Roy deeply appreciated the support of "Team Blackwell," which included family and friends throughout the country. Special thanks to all of Team Blackwell for your love, assistance and prayers during this journey. Roy will be remembered as a great storyteller, but more importantly, an incredible listener – as so many individuals in Team Blackwell counted Roy as one of their best friends.
Roy Blackwell passed away on January 15, 2024, at his home surrounded and cared for by his family. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Madison Blackwell; his mother, Peggy Ruth Watts Blackwell; and his sister, Cathy Rockecharlie. He is survived by his beloved wife, Lisa Wickwar Blackwell; his three sons, John Madison (Rachel) Blackwell, Parker Madison (Maggie) Blackwell, and Jason Patrick Blackwell; his sister, Dianna (Jeffrey) Goodman; and granddaughters, Amelia and Caroline; nieces and nephews, Vance Goodman, Catherine (Joe) Lordi, Dorothy (Kevin Tobin) Goodman, Eleanor (Spencer) Wynant, Brian (Mina) Rockecharlie; and grand nieces and nephews, Sam, Alex, Michael, Annalise, Julia, Jack, Leo and Ruby.
The Celebration of Life for Roy Blackwell will be held on February 3, 2024, at 3:00 PM in the Sanctuary at Birmingham United Methodist Church, 15770 Birmingham Highway, Milton, GA 30004, with a reception following in the Meeting Hall across from the Sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Roy's memory to your favorite charity.
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