Thomas (Tom) Arnold Blanchard, Sr.'s Obituary
Thomas (Tom) Arnold Blanchard Sr., 69, of Saulsbury, Tennessee, passed away on Oct. 28, 2018 at the Baptist Reynolds Hospice House in Collierville, Tennessee after a short illness. A retired professor of sociology, and an avid sailor and woodworker, Tom was born in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio on April 13, 1949. He moved to Scottsville, New York with his family as a preteen, and joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from Wheatland Chili High School. He received an undergraduate degree from Union University in Schenectady, New York after attending community college, and did his graduate work at both the University of Indiana (Bloomington) and Brandeis University. At Brandeis, he studied with a number of acclaimed sociologists including Morris (Morrie) Swartz, the subject of a famous book and subsequent movie entitled, “Tuesdays with Morrie.” He also worked as a community organizer advocating for the homeless in the state of New York.Tom was passionate about politics (given his training as a political sociologist) and a voracious reader of philosophy and fiction. An avid movie buff, he particularly enjoyed classic movies. He was happiest outdoors, whether in the mountains or forest or on the water, especially the ocean. Tom was equally at home in the kitchen preparing a wonderful meal or fixing a broken pipe. A jack-of-all trades, he could repair almost anything from carburetors to computers and then turn his attention to crafting Windsor chairs or building custom cabinetry. His greatest love, aside from his 23-foot O’Day sailboat, was music – especially jazz and blues. He was a practitioner of Korean Zen Buddhism.He leaves his wife, Deborah Prince Blanchard; his two sons, Tom Blanchard Jr. of Toronto and Sam Blanchard of Oakland, California; his daughter, Kristinna Blanchard of Monroe, Virginia; three stepchildren, Robin M. Taylor (Patrick) of Memphis; Ryan Morehead (Mallory) of Boston; Drew Morehead (Abby) of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and three grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Jeanette Blanchard and Nancy Blanchard Scheerens (Glenn) of Scottsvile, New York; his brother, Al Blanchard (Nancy) of Ashland, Massachusetts; and two nephews and two nieces. He was preceded in death by his beloved mother, Eileen (Fuller) Blanchard and father Arnold Blanchard of Avon, New York.Memorial contributions may be made to the non-profit of the donor’s choice, or to The Ocean Conservancy at oceanconservancy.org or to the Baptist Reynolds Hospice House online at bmhgiving.org or by calling 901-227-7123.For additional information or to leave an online condolence, visit the website at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery at https://www.memorialparkfuneralandcemetery.com/obituaries/ Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38119, 901-767-8930,
What’s your fondest memory of Thomas?
What’s a lesson you learned from Thomas?
Share a story where Thomas' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Thomas you’ll never forget.
How did Thomas make you smile?