Pat Blacklock, wife Doyel Shedd Blacklock and children 

Left to Right: Nora Jo Blacklock Richardson, Ronnie Mearl and Betty Lorene Blacklock Teal Shepherd, taken about 1978 at the 50th wedding anniversary of Pat and Doyel.

My grandparents were Pat and Doyel Blacklock who the grandkids called Daddy Pat and Mom Blackie.

Vinson Dooley 'Pat' Blacklock was born May 26, 1905 to Clark Wilson and Amanda Lou (Edwards)  Blacklock in Purmela, Coryell Co. TX.   The next to the youngest of  six sons and one daughter.    He married Nancy Doyel Shedd, daughter of Alfred Thompson Shedd and Nancy Burnes Shedd on June 26, 1926 in Pearl, Coryell Co. Tx, sitting aboard a horse and wagon.  Mom Blackie told me that the way he asked her to marry him was to say 'do you want to be my cook?'

Daddy Pat and Mom Blackie came to Garza Co. about 1930 following her family here.  They dry land farmed about 5 miles northwest of Post, up on the hill.  The old farm house stood for many years but was torn down in the 1990's.  Daddy Pat also ran a maintainer for the City, rising every moring about 4AM and working late at night, I remember him plowing the fields long after it was dark.  Mom Blackie ran the farm, doing the hoeing, running the hands and picking cotton, taking care of the animals, doing all the 101 things it takes to run a farm, along with quilting and taking care of me.

My mother - Betty Lorene was born in 1927 in Hamilton Co. TX, her sister Nora Jo was born in 1928 in Hill Co, and little brother Ronnie Mearl was born June 13, 1939 in Post Garza Co. TX.  Lorene died in March 1980 of multiple myeloma and is buried in Terrace Cemetery beside my son, Sean Patrick Parks  and her mother and dad.

Pat died Feb 21, 1992 in Terry Co. Texas, dying of old age mostly.  Nancy Doyel died in Jan 1980 after undergoing a triple bypass.  She died at the family farm.  Both are buried in Post Garza co. Tx, Terrace Cemetery.

Submitted by Reba Parks