Clifford W. Blackstun

Clifford W Blackstun, age 87, died at Aurora Medical Center South, on October 23, 2018.

Clifford (Cliff) was born on January 5, 1931 at his home in Jennings, Missouri. He graduated from Fairview High School in June 1948. Cliff lived in many locations through his life including, St. Louis and Rolla, Missouri; Oceanside, California; New Iberia and New Orleans, Louisiana; Houston, Texas; Billings, Montana; Denver, Colorado; and Clearwater, Florida. He moved to Littleton, Colorado in 1965 and stayed in the Denver area until his passing. Cliff is a Veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps from February 1952 until he was honorably discharged in February 1954. He attended college at Southeast Missouri State at Cape Girardeau, Missouri (1948-1950). He earned a Bachelor of Science degree (June 1957) in Mining Engineering from the Missouri school of Mines & Metallurgy at Rolla, Missouri. Cliff worked as a petroleum project engineer for Bethlehem Steel Company from June 1957 to May 1967, a civil engineer for the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs from June 1967 to March 1974, and as Project Manager, Section Chief, Design Chief and Construction Chief for the National Park Service from March 1974 until retiring in September 1995. During his retirement he spent summers in the Denver, Colorado area and winters in Clearwater, Florida.

Cliff married his wife of 66 years, Marilyn Ann Blackstun (Marsh) on July 26, 1952. Cliff and Marilyn have three sons, David Edward Blackstun, born August 23, 1953 at Camp Pendleton Marine Base in Oceanside, California, Denis Mark Blackstun, born May 14, 1959 in Metairie, Louisiana, and Kenneth Michael Blackstun, born December 2, 1961 also in Metairie Louisiana. Cliff has six grandchildren, Margaret Pearl Ballard (Blackstun), Melissa Irene Blackstun, Gregory Edward Blackstun, Zachary Dylan Blackstun, Sawyer Jordon Blackstun, and Tyler Dillon Blackstun. Cliff is the son of Margaret Irene Dodge and Clifford Wilton Blackstun Sr.

Services for Cliff will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 10:30 AM at the chapel of Horan & McConaty, 11150 East Dartmouth Avenue, Aurora, CO 80014. Interment will follow 1:00 PM at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 4400 W Kenyon Avenue, Denver CO 80236. Immediately following the interment friends and family will gather at Hacienda Colorado, 5056 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, CO 80123, located near the intersection of Wadsworth and Belleview, (303) 932-0272. Relatives and friends are welcome at the services, interment, and the afternoon gathering.

Cliff was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. The strength of his personal character instilled a strong sense of values into his children and grandchildren. He was respected in his career for his hard work and honesty. He led teams of engineers at the National Park Service to build and remodel facilities and historic structures in some of the most iconic National Parks in our country from Glacier to Yellowstone to the Everglades. The last project Cliff was leading at the time of his retirement was the construction of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington DC. The influence of Cliff's work can be seen today in many new and historic structures throughout or nations National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores. His legacy contributes to how we experience these National treasures today. If you visit a National Park Service site, you may look around and appreciate his work because he made it better for all of us.

The Blackstun sons and his wife of 66 years, Marilyn, were blessed to know Cliff and have him as the loving patriarch of our family. He lived a great life in the outdoors as an avid skier, camper, hunter, fisherman and all around adventurous person. From the time the boys were small, Cliff shared his love of the outdoors and outdoor adventures with his family. Together they shared many happy experiences while the boys were growing up when Cliff took the family skiing, camping, hunting & fishing in Colorado & throughout the West. And this love of the outdoors and outdoor adventure has also been shared with Cliff's grandchildren.

Cliff would do almost anything to help someone in need. We will miss him and we will never forget him and the many wonderful ways throughout his life he demonstrated his kind heart, love, and support for his family. We are all proud of the way he lived! We love you Cliff, (Dad)! Rest in peace! You lived life the right way!

Funeral Mass: November 13, 2018 10:30 am

Horan & McConaty - SE Denver/Aurora
11150 E. Dartmouth Ave.
Aurora, CO 80014

Graveside Service: November 13, 2018 1:00 pm

Fort Logan National Cemetery
3698 South Sheridan Boulevard
Denver, CO 80236
(303) 761-0117
https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftlogan.asp

Family Gathering: November 13, 2018 2:00 pm

Hacienda Colorado
5056 S. Wadsworth Blvd
Lakewood, CO 80123
(303) 932-0272