Thomas Reid Blackburn

Our dear father, Thomas Reid Blackburn, 91, died peacefully at his home in Boise, ID, surrounded by his loving wife Betty, of 71 years and children on October 25, 2024.

Thomas Reid Blackburn was born June 28, 1933  in Ogden, UT to Claudius Elvin Blackburn and Pearl Wilma Williams. Reid was the 4th son and child of 6 brothers, and 1 sister. After his mother’s death,  his dad married Bessie Goodman. They had 2 sons. Reid grew up in Burley and Murtaugh, ID. Later the family moved to Riverside and Juntura, OR and also Eden, ID due to his father’s job assignments on the Union Pacific Railroad. He left home when he was 18 to live with his dad’s brother and family in Porterville in San Joaquin Valley, CA where he worked and attended college for a semester, before returning home to Cascade, ID to work with his dad for the railroad.

Reid met his sweetheart, Betty Jean Zaldain, in the summer of 1952, while working at the Union Pacific Railroad Station in Parma, ID. She was a waitress at a local café. He was 18 and she was 16. Reid proposed to Betty the next Feb. 1953. They were married May 17, 1953 in Cascade, ID by his dad, Claudius Elvin Blackburn, who was the Branch President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Later they were married for eternity on Jan. 20, 1958 in the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, UT, starting their forever family.

Reid enlisted in the US Airforce. He received a leave of absence from the railroad. A month after they were married, on June 17, 1953, he went to basic training in CA, then to radio school in Biloxi, Mississippi. Betty joined him 3 months later. The following March 1954, their first daughter was born. Two months later, Reid left for an 18-month assignment in Japan.

 After his military service ended on June 16, 1957, he resumed working for the Union Pacific Railroad.  Finally, after working at different train stations, he was able to work at Parma, Id where he and Betty raised their family of 12 children, 8 daughters and 4 sons. They lived in Parma until 1989, when he was transferred to St. Louis, MO where Reid retired from the railroad after 43 years. 

Reid has always been active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He’s served as Stake YM President, High Councilor, Bishop, Ward Financial Clerk for 3 bishops, and Webelos Scout Leader. He served with Betty on an 18-month LDS mission to Guayaquil, Ecuador in 1998. This was the same mission and time where their eldest grandson served. They also served in Boise, ID, on service missions to teach at the Boise jail and also at the Family History Center, while working as Temple Workers at the Boise Idaho LDS Temple. 

            Reid was a skilled artist. His artwork ranged from cartoons, murals, custom business signs, etc. He loved music. He led ward choir, sang, played a harmonica and taught his children to sing and perform in Church musical skits. He loved to learn. He spoke Spanish, some Japanese and was a master at Morse Code and telegraphy.  He was avidly interested in and studied Archeology. He loved cooking and making truffles was his specialty. He enjoyed taking his family on camping trips and railroad trips. He loved his wife, children, grand and great- grandchildren and they all loved him. He was a quiet and sensitive man, always grateful, full of laughter and good humor. He loved saying limericks and tongue twisters. He had a great smile and loved people. He was a wonderful father, grandfather, great-grandfather and soon to be great- great-grandfather. He left a “legacy of love.”

            Reid is survived by his sweetheart, Betty, and their 12 children;  Valerie (Bryan) ; Deborah (Steve) ;  Kerry (Melynda) ;  Michael (Chantelle) ;  Marla (Vaughn) ;  Claudie (Darrell) ;  Lawrence ; Laurie (Joel) ;  Kristy ;  Betty (Terry) ;  Jeanie (Wayne) ;  Reid A.--Thomas Reid is also survived by his sister, Diane (Tom) and brother, Tim (Jan). Reid was preceded in death, by his parents; stepmother; 6 brothers; Ken, Russ, George, Kay, Milton and Shawn; and 2 grandchildren and 3 infant great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be Sat. Nov. 9, 2024 at 11 am.  Boise LDS Stake Center at 1111 So. Cole Rd. Boise, ID 83709 (by the Boise LDS Temple). Family will receive friends 9:30 – 10:30 am in the RS room prior to the funeral.

On Nov. 13, 2024 at 11 am. a military interment with honors will be held for Thomas Reid Blackburn at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, located at 10100 N. Horseshoe Bend Rd. Boise, ID 83714.

(Please Click Here to Access Livestream Service for Thomas Reid Blackburn)

https://zoom.us/j/91512826124

Livestream will begin at 10:50 am MT, November 9, 2024.              

The family would like to thank the staff and excellent nurses and doctors at the VA Home Health Care and Horizon Home Health Care/Hospice for the loving care they gave dad and mom during this time.  They were all “angels in action.”

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