Joel David Blackwelder ’56

Joel BlackwelderJoel David “Buggy” Blackwelder, 81, of Vista Drive, passed away on Nov. 22, 2015, at Carolina Care Center in Cherryville.

Buggy was born in Cherryville on April 15, 1934, a son of the late Perry “Buck” Blackwelder and Lib Rhyne Blackwelder. He was a 1952 graduate of Cherryville High School and attended Davidson College for four years. Buggy was also very proud of being an Eagle Scout. After working at Carolina Freight Carriers Corporation for 21 years as a computer programmer, he returned to and eventually retired from his family business, Blackwelder Machine Shop. Buggy was a life-long and devoted member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder several terms and was awarded Elder Emeritus on Sep-tember 27, 2015 and was also a member of the Men’s Bible Class.

He was a member of the Cherryville Rescue Squad for twenty one years and some of those years he served as captain until his retirement. He also served on the Cherryville ABC Board for 27 years and served as chairman for seven. Buggy loved his family and especially his grandchildren. He had an infectious grin, a quick wit and winsome ways that endeared him to everyone who knew him. Buggy never met a stranger and had time for every per-son he met, and they were numerous, and he made them feel special. He was loved by all who knew him and he will be greatly missed.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by an infant son, William Henry Blackwelder.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Gwynneth Scism Blackwelder of the home; two sons and daugh-ters-in-law, Joel David Blackwelder, Jr. and Collette of Cherryville and James “Perry” Blackwelder and Stacy of Lake Hartwell Georgia; a daughter and son-in-law, Amy Blackwelder Weidhaas and Jim of St. Simons Island, Georgia; three granddaughters, Emily and Annie Blackwelder of Cherryville and Caroline Weidhaas of St. Simons Island, Georgia; two grandsons, Mathew Simmons and wife Lauren of Richmond Hill, Georgia and J.D. Weidhaas of St. Simons Island, Georgia and a great grandson, Aiden Simmons; a brother and sister-in-law, Billy George “Brother” Blackwelder and wife Joyce of Pensacola, Florida; sister-in-law, Screttia Hartman and a brother-in-law Warren Scism; an Uncle, Dick Blackwelder and wife Betty and numerous nieces, nephews and special family and friends who loved him dearly.