Eddie

Blackmon

Eddie C. Blackmon, Sr. was born on December 30, 1955, in Chipley, Florida, to John C. Blackmon and Lillie Worlds Walton. He was raised in the close-knit community of Chipley and graduated from Chipley High School. Soon after high school, in 1973, he chose a path of service and enlisted in the United States Army.

On December 31, 1974, Eddie married his high school sweetheart, Mae Cady Blackmon. Their journey together spanned nearly forty years of union and, as their love story goes, even in seasons of separation, history and heartstrings have a way of never fully letting go. In 1975, the couple relocated to Fort Benning, where military life shaped much of their early years. Though Eddie briefly worked at an airport in Ohio as an air traffic controller, the call to serve drew him back to the Army. He later completed one of his final tours during Gulf War (Desert Storm), closing out a career marked by discipline, quiet strength, and commitment. After retiring, he settled in Savannah, but home called him back. Eddie eventually returned to Chipley, Florida, where he lived out the remainder of his days — full circle, back to his roots.

Eddie was preceded in death by his parents, his wife: Mae Cady Blackmon, and his siblings: Willie Worlds, Preston Worlds, John Blackmon, Jr., Charlie Blackmon & Donnie Blackmon .

He leaves to cherish his memory his children: Cheryl (Wayne) Lester of Claxton, Georgia; Eddie C. (Kamika) Blackmon, Jr. of Fort Walton, Florida; Jeremy Blackmon of Dothan, Alabama and Desmond Blackmon of Marianna, Florida; his siblings: Jimmie C Worlds of Tallahassee, Florida, Charity Rittman of Quincy, Florida, Dianne Blackmon Belser (Adrian) of Chipley, Florida; a dear friend: Delphine Brown of Bonifay, Florida along with grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews. He was especially fond of Aunt Ruby Gene and Cousin Mary Jenkins, both of Enterprise, Alabama.

As this summary is written, one truth remains: each of us carries a different version of Eddie. So here is where you insert your memory. Because depending on who you are, he may have been coach, soldier, storyteller, disciplinarian, provider, or the quiet man in the room who didn't say much  but when he did, it mattered.

My father was a man of many talents and few words. He could fix what was broken, stand firm when others wavered, and somehow say an entire paragraph with one look. He carried both seriousness and a subtle humor — the kind that made you wonder if he was joking… and sometimes he was. To round it out the way he might have appreciated — steady, strong, and just a little cheeky: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." – Second Epistle to Timothy 4:7 And perhaps also this reminder, fitting for a soldier and a man who walked his own road: "To everything there is a season…" – Ecclesiastes 3:1
Well done, Soldier, Rest easy.