Virgus Blankenship

Virgus Blankenship, age 83, of Abingdon, Va. and formerly of Buchanan County, Va., went to be with the Lord on Thursday, December 5, 2019, at his home.  He was born September 30, 1936, in Buchanan County.  Virgus owned and operated Tri-Star Mining, Inc. and was formerly a member of Little Prater Church of Christ.  He was a member of the Sandy Valley Masonic Lodge No. 17 AF & AM of Grundy, Va., a member of the Kazim Temple in Roanoke, and he was a member of the Florence Ann Chapter 133 Order of the Eastern Star in Grundy.  He was a Kentucky Colonel and was named an honorary deputy in Pike County, Ky.  Following his retirement, Virgus relocated to Abingdon, Va. where he became a member of Macedonia Church of Christ.  He was an avid golfer and a founding member of the Olde Farm.    

Virgus was preceded in death by his father, Edgar Blankenship, Sr.; mother, Mary Blankenship McClanahan; his first wife, Anna Marie Jackson Blankenship; son, Robert “Bobby” Blankenship; three brothers, Arnold, Roger, and Donald McClanahan; sister, Bonnie Sue Tichner; and a great granddaughter, Cherub May. 

He is survived by his wife of 10 years, Mary Evelyn Fletcher Blankenship; two daughters, Kimberly Dawn Blankenship Rife and Sherri Leigh Blankenship, both of Abingdon, Va.; step-son, Bradley Potter and wife, Joyce, of Majestic, Ky.; two brothers, Warren Blankenship and Ed Blankenship, Jr.; five sisters, Bea Barnes, Phyllis Ann Daniels, Donna Mae Daniels, Judy Conn, and Linda Potter; five grandchildren, Anna Rife-Watts, Isabella Alexus Rife, Colton Taylor Blankenship, Bobbie Lynn Blankenship, and Selina Blankenship; three step-granddaughters, Kellie Hartford, Kristen Belachew, and Faith Potter; one great grandson, Corwin Blankenship; and special friends, Tom and Bonnie Bower and Kenneth and Susie Howard.   

A funeral ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at Macedonia Church of Christ, 25350 Watauga Rd., Abingdon, VA 24211, with Minister Ron Musick officiating.  A committal service will be held on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Greenhills Memory Gardens in Mausoleum 4, 11800 Gov. G. C. Peery Hwy., Cedar Bluff, VA 24609, where the brethren of the Sandy Valley Masonic Lodge No. 17 AF & AM will render Masonic funeral rites.  Pallbearers will be John Fletcher, Joe Hall, Kenneth Howard, Kenneth Howard, Jeff Keene, Bill Sparks, Mike Sweet, and Bob Taylor.  Honorary pallbearers will be Colton Blankenship, Tom Bower, Frank McClanahan, Jack Stallard, Waylon Watts, Richard Williams, and the men of Macedonia Church of Christ.  Visitation will be held on Friday, December 6, 2019, from 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at the church.     

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 N. Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff of Ballad Hospice.

Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com and signing the online guestbook.  The family of Virgus Blankenship is being cared for by Farris Funeral Service and Crematory, 427 E. Main St., Abingdon, VA 24210 (276-623-2700).