Mary Helen Blackwell

Mrs. Mary Helen Blackwell, 89 of Live Oak, passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2013 at the North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville.  She was a native of Lafayette, Georgia and resided in Lake City for 41 years before moving to Live Oak in 2003.  She was employed by the State of Florida as a secretary at the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and also the Florida Highway Patrol and retired in 1987.  She was a member of the Live Oak Church of God.  Mrs. Blackwell was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Mr. Thomas “Frank” Blackwell, Jr., her parents, Thomas Jesse Patton and Leda Cantrell Patton, her daughter, Janice Garrett and two brothers, Rev. Paul Patton and Kenneth Patton.

Survivors include two daughters, Charlotte (Donald) Boyd of Jacksonville, FL and Lougene (Glenn) Jernigan of Live Oak, FL; one son, Thomas Franklin (Rebecca) Blackwell, III of Greenville, SC; two brothers, (Ret.) Col. David Patton of Nokomis, FL and James Patton of Rock Springs, GA; nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 at 1:00 PM in the Chapel of Guerry Funeral Home with Rev. Fred Watson officiating.  Interment will follow in Live Oak Cemetery, Live Oak, FL.  Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM.  Arrangements are under direction of GUERRY Funeral Home, Lake City.