A Life Lived: Wilma Blackwell had the gift of giving

Published 1:32 pm Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Tis the season for giving. But, for Wilma Blackwell, the season for giving was all year long. Wilma loved to shop, not only for herself, but for others, too. She also enjoyed cooking, and sharing a dish with others, who were sick or in need.

Wilma Blackwell died Nov. 30 at the age of 81. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dave, who died July 6, 2021. The Blackwells owned and operated Elizabethton Glass Co. The couple were married 54 years.

Wilma’s son, Brent, said his mother was a very loving person. “She took good care of me and my dad. When Dad came home from work in the evening, she had a hot supper on the table waiting. She enjoyed keeping house and making things comfortable for her family,” he shared.

When weekends came, Wilma and Dave headed to Buck Mountain, where they had a trailer located on family property. “They enjoyed spending the weekends on the mountain. My mom, she usually went shopping when the weekend came, especially on Fridays. She went to Belk’s, Penny’s, Proffitts, anywhere they sold clothes. She liked pretty clothes. My dad used to say she had more clothes than 10 women could wear,” Brent shared with a chuckle.

“But she took good care of me and my dad,” Brent added.

Wilma was raised in Burbank and Dave on Buck Mountain. They both went to Cloudland High School.

When Wilma was working at the glass company, she enjoyed keeping house, and in the summer did a lot of canning. “She canned green beans and tomatoes. From the tomatoes she made tomato soup which she canned as well as spaghetti sauce. She was an excellent cook,” her son said.

The couple enjoyed traveling, and among their favorite places to go was Pigeon Forge to the rod runs. “My dad was an antique car enthusiast, and if he liked it, my mom did, too,” said Brent. Wilma and Dave also traveled to Las Vegas once and to the Redwood Forest in California.

Brent shared that his mother was an excellent cook. She especially enjoyed making desserts and made a great poppyseed cake.

“Mom could do about anything she wanted, but her favorite thing to do was spending time with my dad and her family. My son, Cole, was the apple of her eye and she doted on him,” Brent said. “She enjoyed being a grandmother.”

Wilma was a member of Burbank Free Will Baptist Church, but in recent years had attended Big Springs Church of Christ.

“Mom was a very giving person. She was all the time doing something for others. That was what made her happy. She was kind and loving, always wore a smile,” Brent said.

Wilma Jarrett Johnson shared on Wilma’s tribute page: “What wonderful memories I have of our childhood and school years. Wilma was a great friend to me and everyone liked her for her happy and fun-loving ways.”

It has been said more than once that “no one has ever become poor from giving.” Wilma Blackwell was rich in love and spirit. She spent her last days as a resident at Hermitage Health Center.