Howard Franklin Bledsoe, Jr.

Passed peacefully in his sleep. Born in Seattle, WA to Howard F. Bledsoe Sr. and Vera Deweese Bledsoe. He was the youngest of six and the last of his immediate family to pass. Howie grew up in the Green Lake neighborhood and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1947. He went to art school after graduating from high school but did not pursue art. He worked for Standard Oil in his early 20s when he married his first wife, Jeanine Hall, in 1950. They resided in Magnolia and had two daughters, Colleen and Cheryl. Later he worked as a salesman for Fisheries Supply Co., Canal Industrial Supply, and retired from Ballard Hardware. During some of those years he did a lot of traveling. One of his favorite memoires was visiting Alaska during the construction of the pipeline. Howard and Jeanine were divorced in 1976. He married Katherine Blackmon in 1986 and was living with her in Edmonds until his death. Howie enjoyed golfing, sailing, dancing, jazz, and taking photos. He loved to be goofy at times and in his younger years would do his famous backward summersault from a chair. He loved people, good food and a good joke, okay and a bad one too. He so enjoyed his Wednesday lunches with the guys. He is survived by his wife Katherine, her children John Blackmon (Susan), Barbara Massey, Charles Blackmon, also his daughter Cheryl Avery (Jack); and grandchildren: Sean, Carly Lindsey Avery, Emily (Dan) Barber, Peter, Jack, Laine Blackmon, Siena Hadleigh Massey, and Jason Jeremy White; and great grandchildren: Erin Barber, and Tristan, Preston Kingston Blackmon. A celebration of his life will be held at the Edmonds Library Plaza room at 650 Main Street, Edmonds from 1-4. Announcement: In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Puget Sound Kidney Center or a charity of your choice.