Ervin Blanks

James Ervin Blanks, age 87 and a resident of Biloxi, MS, passed away on Thursday, May 31, 2007 in Biloxi.
Mr. Blanks was born on November 3, 1919 and grew up in and around Brooklyn, Carnes and Petal, Mississippi, graduating from Petal High School in 1939. After graduation, he worked as a lab assistant in Laurel, Mississippi at Chemical Products Company. In January, 1942 he joined the Army serving as a Technician Fifth Grade until August 1945 when he received an Honorable Discharge. Involved in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day and other tours of duty in Europe, he received the Bronze Star and Good Conduct Medal as well as other commendations and decorations. On December 13, 1947, he married the late Frances Coughlin also of Petal, Mississippi.
In 1957, Mr. and Mrs. Blanks moved to the Gulf Coast. Having joined Mississippi Power Company in 1945, he was transferred from Plant Eaton in Petal where he worked in a number of positions of increasing responsibility as a condenser operator, assistant boiler operator, boiler operator and combination boiler and turbine operator. Upon his transfer to the Jack Watson Plant in Gulfport, he worked as a shift supervisor until his promotion to plant supervisor, a position he held until his retirement in 1977. Mr. Blanks and his wife traveled extensively throughout America and Europe. Among his hobbies were fishing and gardening. Since moving to the Gulf Coast in 1957 he had been an avid fisherman of the Back Bay of Biloxi, Big Lake and Tchoutacabouffa River on which he lived.
Mr. Blanks was preceded in death by his wife, Frances; his parents, Ervin Adkinson Blanks and Lillie Nelson Blanks of Hattiesburg; his brother, William Curtis Blanks of Charleston Heights, South Carolina; and his sisters, Mattie Miriam Clark of Columbia, Mississippi and Bessie Margaret Sirmon of Mobile, Alabama.
Survivors include his brother, Chester Ray Blanks of Brandon, Mississippi; and his sisters, Mary Frances Herring of Falkville, Alabama and Martha Nell Smith of Winfield, Alabama. James aÌ‚â‚Å“Uncle Ervinâ₝ Blanks is also survived by fifteen nieces and nephews, as well as dozens of great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.
All who knew aÌ‚â‚Å“Uncle Ervinâ₝ knew him to be a fine, upstanding man of integrity, generous to all, with a deep love of animals and a good neighbor. Many thanks are extended to his family, friends and neighbors for the love, help and concern shown to him not only after the passing of his wife in 2004, but especially since Hurricane Katrina, and their efforts and kindnesses will not be forgotten.
Friends are invited to join the Blanks family for visitation on Friday, June 1, 2007 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at THE RIEMANN FAMILY'S Riemann Funeral Home, 274 Beauvoir Road, Biloxi. The Celebration of Life Funeral Service will be held in the funeral home chapel at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 2. Interment will be at 2:30 p.m. at Highland Park Cemetery in Hattiesburg.