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Sgt. Army Air Force World War II Veteran
Although my father, C.E. Leon, of Rotan, Texas, owned Leon Ice Co. in Spur for several years, it was April 1947 that my husband. R.K. (Bob) Blackshear and 1 moved to Spur. As a World War II veteran, Bob was eager to lease the company here and in Matador, with me as his assistant.Through the years, Bob participated in various civic activities, including Masonic Lodge, Rotary Club, Industrial Foundation, and Chamber of Commerce. My membership in diversified organizations included 20 years with Girl Scouts. We were active members of the First Baptist Church, and I worked with young people, as Training Union Director, and on the Building Committee, which planned the present structure.
"Supply ice without fail," could have been Blackshear Ice and Lockers Co.´s motto because never will I forget the tornado of 1949. Every business closed to allow employees to seek cellars except us. We remained open, so a truck from Matador could unload the ice, and the delivery schedule would not be interrupted. While I walked the floor, Bob calmed me with, "It´s only a whirl wind." Our truck driver was the first person on the devastated scene as he drove to Matador. I never trusted Bob´s weather judgment again! Our business was eventually comprised of butchering and processing meat for lockers and home freezers plus ice sales. After Bob´s demise in October 1973, the business continued the same policies until its sale April 1974.
In 1957 I agreed to teach one term for a teacher who wanted a year´s maternity leave. That year stretched into a 21 year teaching career in Spur. My teaching fields were speech and English in junior and senior high schools, but much time was spent as director of UIL activities. Many pleasant memories of numerous students linger; however, some of the most rewarding experiences were taking debaters and speakers to State UIL in Austin five different years. One debate team won first, and one team went to Austin three times, winning first, second, and third, Two other teams and other speakers plus students in other areas also represented Spur High School at the State Meet.
We had two daughters born in the 1950´s: Sally and Amanda. Both began school and graduated from high school here, with participation in many and varied activities, including membership in National Honor Society. Sally attended WTSU and Texas Tech and now lives in Silver City New Mexico. Her husband, Lloyd Hocks, is manager of Long John Silver´s Restaurant. She has six children ranging in age from 2-14 years, and they keep her extremely busy. Amanda graduated from WTSU and settled in the Metroplex area. First, she worked as office manager for a sporting goods company. She now is employed by the Post Office Department in North Dallas, lives in Irving, and enjoys concerts, ball games, and other sports activities during her leisure time.
Always evident in Spur citizens are friendliness, kindness, and interest which have kept me here since my retirement in 1979.
.....by Mildred L. BlackshearSource: "Dickens County, Its Land and People", Dickens County Historical Commission, ©1986
Robert "Bob" and Mildred were married June 28, in Rotan. His mother, Mrs. R.K. Blackshear lived in Austin. Mildred's parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Leon, lived in Rotan. Bob was a member of the Rotary club. He started working in oil fields and spent the money going to school. His first real job was construction work at a refinery. Money was the chief interest in his present occupation of freezer plant. During his life has been a distributor for the Western Refinery Company, done all kinds of oil company field work, trucking and farming. He acknowledged C.E. Leon as having influenced him most. He belonged to the Baptist Church. He attended Corcicana High School, St. Paul Preparatory School of New York, and University of Texas.Source: History of Dickens County; Ranches and Rolling Plains, Fred Arrington, ©1971
SPUR (Special) — Services for Mildred Aylene Blackshear, 81, of Spur will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in First Baptist Church with the Rev. Glen Shock of Seymour and the Rev. Richard Harbison of Spur officiating.
Burial will be in Spur Memorial Cemetery under direction of Campbell Funeral Home.
She died Monday, March 8, 1999, in Kent County Nursing Home in Jayton.
She was born Nov. 23, 1917, in Rule. She married R.K. "Bob" Blackshear on June 28, 1941, in Rotan. He died Oct. 4, 1973. She moved to Spur in 1994, where she taught speech and English at Spur High School. She was director of UIL activities at the Spur schools for many years. She was a member of First Baptist Church in Spur, where she was a training union director and served on the Building Committee of the Church.
Survivors include two daughters, Sally Hucks of Amarillo and Amanda Blacksheer of Dallas; two sisters, Polly Denton of Cloudcroft, N.M., and Virginia Barnhart of Houston; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
©Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Tuesday, March 9, 1999
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