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Pat Blankenship
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Pat died April 9, 2021, after a short battle with bone cancer.
On April 9, 2021, Shields Pettus Blankenship Jr., 82, died of cancer at the Kate B. Reynolds House at Trellis Hospice in Winston-Salem, NC.
Pat is the son of Alice Marjorie Oliver Blankenship and Shields Pettus Blankenship, both now deceased. He was born June 11, 1938 in Mercy Hospital, Charlotte, NC. Shortly thereafter, he and his parents moved from Chester County, SC to Columbia, SC where he lived the first twenty-five years of his life. Pat grew up on Duncan Street in the Shandon neighborhood of Columbia. He attended Schneider Elementary School, Hand Junior High School, and Dreher High School, from which he graduated in 1956. It was at Dreher High School that Pat met and dated Sallie Boylston. They became sweethearts and, after both graduated from college, they were married. Pat was raised in a single-parent family and he was forever grateful to his mother for all the sacrifices she made to raise her two sons in a good and loving home.
Pat graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1961. He was the recipient of a full academic scholarship, majoring in business administration, and was a member of Kappa Alpha Order. While Sallie taught in the Columbia public schools, Pat continued his studies at USC and graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree in 1963. After graduation, he worked as a financial planning analyst at Milliken Corporation at its headquarters in Spartanburg, SC. In 1967, he joined the original Wachovia Bank at its head office in Winston-Salem, NC where he worked for thirty-two years, retiring in 1999 as Senior Vice President in the Financial Institutions Division of the Corporate Banking Group. Pat said many times that his going to work for Wachovia Bank was one of the better decisions in his lifetime. He loved Wachovia Bank, his work, and the people with whom he worked.
The best decision of Pat’s life was to marry the love of his life, Sallie Boylston, on March 3, 1962. Pat is resting in peace now with Sallie. Their love for one another will last forever.
Pat is survived by one daughter, Elizabeth Shields Blankenship Absher and her husband, T. Blake Absher of Greensboro, NC, and one son, Shields Pettus Blankenship III of Roswell, GA, as well as two grandchildren, Sara Elizabeth Absher Nagpal of Clemmons, NC and Grayson Blake Absher of Charlotte, NC. In addition, Pat’s life was blessed by two great grandsons, Andrew Nagpal and Luke Nagpal. Pat felt that his life had been truly blessed by his children and he believed that a man could not ask for better children than Beth and Shields. He was very proud of Beth and Shields and their accomplishments and he loved them dearly. Pat is also survived by a brother, Robert M. Blankenship, of Columbia, SC.
Pat was a loyal member of Ardmore United Methodist Church where he served several terms on the Finance Committee. He served as President of the University of South Carolina Triad Alumni Association. He enjoyed working each year in his summer garden growing tomatoes, squash and beautiful flowers, which he shared with his friends and neighbors. He took many trips to Europe with Sallie and, after her death, he continued his travels to Europe and Africa with his son. His travels and reading combined to create a vast personal storehouse of knowledge about other cultures, geography, economics, and global politics. For several years he was Treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the local chapter of Citizens for International Understanding, an adjunct of the University of North Carolina, as well as Friendship Force International, Atlanta, GA. In retirement, Pat continued his education by taking courses at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and by attending many lectures at Wake Forest University.
Pat and Sallie loved dogs…all kinds of dogs…all their lives. The love for dogs was passed along to their children. They were especially fond of Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs and the two Pembrokes that lived their lives with the Blankenship family; “Corgi” and “Buddy”, who are in dog heaven.
Funeral services for Pat will be conducted by his friend, Reverend Jock Ollis, at Ardmore United Methodist Church, 630 South Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 at 11:00 AM on April 14. Burial will be in his mother’s family graveyard at Piney Grove Baptist Church, 152 Piney Grove Road, Lake View, SC at 2:00 PM on April 15. Pat will be buried between the graves of his mother and his beloved wife, Sallie.
For the funeral at Ardmore United Methodist, please wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines. Pat's family wishses to thank his family and friends for their support during his time of illness.
Memorials may be made to Meals on Wheels, 2895 Shorefair Dr., Winston-Salem NC 27105 or as an alternative, please buy a meal for a hungry family.
www.salemfh.com
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Pam White
One of the nicest people I met at Wachovia. Always had a smile and a "hello" when I would run into him after retirement. A kind soul, prayers for his family and friends.Bob Reagan
Pat was a died in the wool Wachovian and a friend to so many. Every December he gathered several former Wachovians for a Christmas luncheon, and I will really miss that as well as him. He was an excellent banker, and he will be sorely missed by so many of us.
Gary Trapp
I knew Pat almost my entire 30 year career at Wachaovia. We became even closer friends after we retired. I have had lunch with him more times than I can count, and truly enjoyed our many conversations. He had an unusual, and in-depth knowledge of most subjects and was able to put his thoughts and analysis into words as well as an anyone I have known. Orville Haskett put it so well in an email today when he said - 'Pat was a real patriot who had the unique ability to understand and share complex information with others'. I'm glad Orville used the word 'patriot', that's exactly what Pat was.
I will miss being able to pick up the phone and call my friend to just chat, or to ask for his advice on most any subject, from financial matters to what roofer he would recommend. I am so glad I was able to visit with him the week before he died. We had a wonderful conversation. I will truly miss him!
Charles Blocker
Pat was a solid banker and a Wachovian through and through. I learned so much from Pat while in Financial Institutions Group, not only about the industry but more importantly about reading people and how to treat them with respect even when they were wrong. Pat always went out of his way to help and suuport younger bankers through the years. Will be missed.
David Cotterill
Pat and I lived on the same street early in our Wachovia careers. My wife Joan and Pat's wife Sally, used to carpool our 2 families' kids to elementary school. Pat and I were involved in neighborhood stuff together..One of his first projects I remember at WB, was establishing the Job Grade System for HR at WB. He and Les Sari worked on that together. That is how I first met Les....During retirement I would see Pat often and be involved is his Political discussion group and as one of the many who received his special thorough and provacative emails. (quite a few emails as we all know) He was a great writer and not afraid of giving his opinion on any and all varied subjects.
He frequented Bob Edwards morning breakfast group at Dukes Restaurant and was a charter menber of the 2 State poliical BS group that met at Clarence's. restaurant in Martinsville, Va.
What can I say .. he was a great guy, wonderful husband and father.. a unique person, loved and enjoyed by all.
Jerry Ayers
As so many others have posted, Pat was the epitome of what it meant to be a Wachovian. I was not close with Pat, but in our contacts while working he was such a gentleman and so insightful and kind. When I still lived in W-S I went by his house one weekend to help him with a problem he was having with a "new fangled" personal computer he acquired. It was a delightful visit, punctuated with Pat's opinions on just about anything I brought up about social or political matters. So sad that he is no longer with us.
Billy Coleman
I met Pat in 1981 when I joined Wachovia in the Financial Institution Dept. Both being USC grads, we hit it off right away. Being new, Pat volunteered to take me on some calls. I remember one trip to West Virginia in the dead of winter in a snow storm. When asked why he would go in weather like this, he said the Banks appreciated the fact he would come. Our competitors only went in the summer. Pat exemplified the Wachovia spirit. Polly and I truly enjoyed our time with Pat and Sallie. He will truly be missed.
Orville Haskett
Pat and I had some contact from working at Wachovia but nothing on a regular basis. I have known Pat for well over 40 years but when I really got to know him was after we both had retired. Pat was an extrovert who loved people. When I say he loved people I mean he wanted to know about your family, your education, your world view, your work experience, do you travel and if your diet included black eyed peas.
A group of us retirees who had regular luncheons have had many laughs about Pat's love of country cooking and one of his favorites was black eyed peas without too much juice. It was great to share a meal with Pat and hear him order his food. He was always very specific.
Pat was one of my best friends over these last 20 years. We were daily email buddies and shared deep discussions about world events and politics. Pat was one of the most knowledgeable people that you would ever meet. He was so well informed about this country and its history and our government and he loved nothing more than to embark on a very deep discussion about these subjects. You did not have to be around him long to find out that he was an American patriot.
Talking about his family was one of Pat's real joys. He literally worshiped his wife and after her passing he focused on family, travel and his friends. He was so proud of his two children and their accomplishments and I have never met either of them but I feel like I know them. He also liked to talk about his grandchildren and the two great grandchildren. Pat's life was rich and full and his passing was our loss and I pray he will RIP and celebrate the reunion with his dear wife.
Orville
Dave Holton
When I transferred from retail to corporate I was assigned to Financial Institutions. Pat was my trainer. He taught me the products and how to prepare for a call. He knew everything about our products and all about our competitor's. He taught me how to sell into our strengths and into the weakness of other banks. As others have said, Pat was a wealth of knowledge on a number of bank and other issues. I learned quickly from our road trips not to ask for a quick Yes or No answer from Pat. You were going to hear the whole history and background of the topic! His way with words and his ability to make you want to like and trust him are just a few of his wonderful characteristics. Rest in Peace Pat.
David Holton
Austin Coan
Pat and I joined Wachovia within months of each other in 1967 and have been friends ever since. Although I left several years later, we stayed in touch. I enjoyed his political commentary and emails keeping me up to date with others at "the original Wachovia." I saw him the day the Wachovia/First Union merger announcement hit the papers. Both of us were dumbfounded at that unlikely combination! The thing that set Pat apart besides being a great friend was the gratitude he expressed for everything in his life--his wife, Sallie, his children, his work at Wachovia in financial markets, his country...that's a good lesson Pat has left for all of us!