1920
William
2013
William F. Blank,
June 23, 1920 — November 26, 2013
William F. Blank, Sr. (Bill) peacefully passed away on Tuesday morning, November 26, 2013 at his residence in Stow, Ohio after a long, full and distinguished life. William was born on June 23, 1920 at the Lying-In Hospital in Manhattan, New York, the son of William Francis and Friederica (nee Nienaber) Blank. He was the oldest of two sons, his brother Robert preceded him in death. He is survived by Marilyn (nee Sefferien) of Stow, Ohio, his loving wife of 70 years, and his three sons, Dr. William F. Blank, Jr. (Chris) of Chaffee, Mo, Dr. Richard G. Blank (Laurie) of Seattle, WA, and Dr. James L. Blank (Anne) of Kent, OH. He is further survived by 4 grandsons (William Frederick III, David, Jonathon, and Christopher), and 6 great grandsons and daughters (Randi, Clayton, Jason, Jenna, Ria, and William Frederick, IV). He always hoped that if William IV would hurry up, he would be able to meet William V. Also, he is survived by Kathy and Kent Bell, a multitude of friends and a great many colleagues, many of whom live in Decatur, Illinois.
Bill grew up in and around New York City in the backdrop of the history of the 1920s and 30s. His stories of his early life were captivating and included memories of relatives long past, hunting and fishing with his father on Long Island Sound, and life in New York City during the Great Depression. During this time he met his future wife, Marilyn Sefferien. Unfortunately she was only 16, and it took him persistence and three more years to convince her to marry him. On December 5, 1942 they were wed in New York City.
Professionally Bill wanted to be an engineer from early on, graduating with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and Sanitary Engineering from New York University in May, 1941. He loved engineering and his profession guided him all his life. Following graduation, his first job was with the American Bridge Company in Trenton, New Jersey, a job he held until he entered the United States Navy on October 10, 1942. Although an ROTC Army Cadet during his college years, allergies prevented his commission in the Army after his graduation from NYU. Following Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy welcomed his enlistment. Bill entered service at Camp Allen, VA. on October 13, 1942 as an Ensign, Company's B and C of the 43rd Naval Construction Battalion. He served in the Pacific until his discharge from active service on January 24, 1946; he continued his service in the Naval Reserve until discharged on July 6, 1954 having reached the rank of LCDR, Civil Engineer Corps. During his military career, he served in the Aleutian Island campaign from 1943-1944, returning to Camp Parks, CA for two months of rest and retraining in February 1944 and for deployment in the Pacific campaign. After a short stay in Saipan at wars end, he was stationed in Nagasaki Japan for two months helping to rebuild the city's infrastructure. He remained proud of his service as a Seabee throughout his life, often repeating their slogan, Seabees Can Do, whenever facing a difficult task. He worked for the American Wheelabrator and Equipment Corporation in Mishawaka, Indiana from 1946-51. As a member of the US Naval Reserves, he was recalled to service in 1951 in support of the Korean War effort. His orders landed him, his wife and 2 sons in Decatur, Illinois in 1951 as the plant engineer at Macon Arms. This move was the beginning of his families' life in Decatur for the next 60 years. By the mid-1950s his family had grown to 3 sons, and he was pursuing his career in earnest in Central Illinois.
Bill came from a professional mold that valued vision, leadership, entrepreneurship, initiative and working hard. After working for major industrial companies and consulting engineering firms, including Homer L. Chastain Consulting Engineers, he founded his own engineering firm in 1965 and served as president and chief executive officer of Blank and Wesselink & Associates (now Blank, Wesselink, Cook & Associates, Inc.) from 1965 to 1997 and as chairman emeritus since 1997. His sons remember his first official office was in the basement of the family home on Kenwood Ave. Through hard work he and his colleagues built a successful company that is still in operation after nearly 50 years. His career is marked by many accomplishments. He was a diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a life member and fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was licensed as a professional or structural engineer in 19 states. He always was interested in new ideas, technologies, industries, and business opportunities. Even in retirement he pursued his professional interests as a consulting engineer, applying his experience to forensic engineering and arbitration on projects including water supply and wastewater treatment. At 91 years of age he was honored for being the first board chairman of the Agricultural Watershed Institute, and for his efforts at getting the organization firmly established.
Bill also came from a personal mold that valued service and give-back to the community. His community involvement included serving as president and board chairman of the Decatur-Macon County Economic Development Foundation, chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce, board member and chairman of Decatur Memorial Hospital and related corporate entities, United Way board, and Decatur Advantage board. In his early 90's he continued to serve his church, Central Christian Church, often being seen as an usher on Sunday morning.
Bill dedicated his life to his family, friends, community, and country. Later in life he and Marilyn were able to travel several times to Europe visiting England in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary, and France and Germany. He was also a student of the family history and his travels included a trip by Bill and Marilyn to the Blank and Sefferien ancestral homes in Stockach and Zweibrücken, Germany. There he was able to build the family tree back to the mid-1600s. That tree continues to
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grow as does his legacy. During his final days he talked about celebrating his 71st wedding anniversary with Marilyn. Although he missed it by a few days, we are sure he was there in spirit. He was an anchor that never dragged in a storm. He was always there when we needed him. He touched so many lives that someone will miss him every day, long into the future. In all ways he inserted his special philosophy with ritual phrases. At his passing he would favor two of those phrases: "do a little bit extra and be good". These are two guides that his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have and will always continue to follow. The families' memories of their father, grandfather and great-grandfather are tied to a legacy which is very much centered on Decatur; visiting Chaps Amusement Park, feeding the ducks after church at Dreamland Lake, snow cones at Dels, and later fishing at their home on Lake Decatur and visiting Scovill Zoo with grandchildren and great-grandchildren in tow. He and Marilyn were devoted to their family, and we greatly miss our life's guide.
The family is thankful for all the kind words, memories and condolences, and suggests memorial gifts be made to the Decatur Memorial Foundation (www.dmhcares.org/services/foundation). Memorial services are pending.
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Bill grew up in and around New York City in the backdrop of the history of the 1920s and 30s. His stories of his early life were captivating and included memories of relatives long past, hunting and fishing with his father on Long Island Sound, and life in New York City during the Great Depression. During this time he met his future wife, Marilyn Sefferien. Unfortunately she was only 16, and it took him persistence and three more years to convince her to marry him. On December 5, 1942 they were wed in New York City.
Professionally Bill wanted to be an engineer from early on, graduating with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and Sanitary Engineering from New York University in May, 1941. He loved engineering and his profession guided him all his life. Following graduation, his first job was with the American Bridge Company in Trenton, New Jersey, a job he held until he entered the United States Navy on October 10, 1942. Although an ROTC Army Cadet during his college years, allergies prevented his commission in the Army after his graduation from NYU. Following Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy welcomed his enlistment. Bill entered service at Camp Allen, VA. on October 13, 1942 as an Ensign, Company's B and C of the 43rd Naval Construction Battalion. He served in the Pacific until his discharge from active service on January 24, 1946; he continued his service in the Naval Reserve until discharged on July 6, 1954 having reached the rank of LCDR, Civil Engineer Corps. During his military career, he served in the Aleutian Island campaign from 1943-1944, returning to Camp Parks, CA for two months of rest and retraining in February 1944 and for deployment in the Pacific campaign. After a short stay in Saipan at wars end, he was stationed in Nagasaki Japan for two months helping to rebuild the city's infrastructure. He remained proud of his service as a Seabee throughout his life, often repeating their slogan, Seabees Can Do, whenever facing a difficult task. He worked for the American Wheelabrator and Equipment Corporation in Mishawaka, Indiana from 1946-51. As a member of the US Naval Reserves, he was recalled to service in 1951 in support of the Korean War effort. His orders landed him, his wife and 2 sons in Decatur, Illinois in 1951 as the plant engineer at Macon Arms. This move was the beginning of his families' life in Decatur for the next 60 years. By the mid-1950s his family had grown to 3 sons, and he was pursuing his career in earnest in Central Illinois.
Bill came from a professional mold that valued vision, leadership, entrepreneurship, initiative and working hard. After working for major industrial companies and consulting engineering firms, including Homer L. Chastain Consulting Engineers, he founded his own engineering firm in 1965 and served as president and chief executive officer of Blank and Wesselink & Associates (now Blank, Wesselink, Cook & Associates, Inc.) from 1965 to 1997 and as chairman emeritus since 1997. His sons remember his first official office was in the basement of the family home on Kenwood Ave. Through hard work he and his colleagues built a successful company that is still in operation after nearly 50 years. His career is marked by many accomplishments. He was a diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a life member and fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was licensed as a professional or structural engineer in 19 states. He always was interested in new ideas, technologies, industries, and business opportunities. Even in retirement he pursued his professional interests as a consulting engineer, applying his experience to forensic engineering and arbitration on projects including water supply and wastewater treatment. At 91 years of age he was honored for being the first board chairman of the Agricultural Watershed Institute, and for his efforts at getting the organization firmly established.
Bill also came from a personal mold that valued service and give-back to the community. His community involvement included serving as president and board chairman of the Decatur-Macon County Economic Development Foundation, chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce, board member and chairman of Decatur Memorial Hospital and related corporate entities, United Way board, and Decatur Advantage board. In his early 90's he continued to serve his church, Central Christian Church, often being seen as an usher on Sunday morning.
Bill dedicated his life to his family, friends, community, and country. Later in life he and Marilyn were able to travel several times to Europe visiting England in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary, and France and Germany. He was also a student of the family history and his travels included a trip by Bill and Marilyn to the Blank and Sefferien ancestral homes in Stockach and Zweibrücken, Germany. There he was able to build the family tree back to the mid-1600s. That tree continues to
continued...
1
2
Next
...continued
grow as does his legacy. During his final days he talked about celebrating his 71st wedding anniversary with Marilyn. Although he missed it by a few days, we are sure he was there in spirit. He was an anchor that never dragged in a storm. He was always there when we needed him. He touched so many lives that someone will miss him every day, long into the future. In all ways he inserted his special philosophy with ritual phrases. At his passing he would favor two of those phrases: "do a little bit extra and be good". These are two guides that his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have and will always continue to follow. The families' memories of their father, grandfather and great-grandfather are tied to a legacy which is very much centered on Decatur; visiting Chaps Amusement Park, feeding the ducks after church at Dreamland Lake, snow cones at Dels, and later fishing at their home on Lake Decatur and visiting Scovill Zoo with grandchildren and great-grandchildren in tow. He and Marilyn were devoted to their family, and we greatly miss our life's guide.
The family is thankful for all the kind words, memories and condolences, and suggests memorial gifts be made to the Decatur Memorial Foundation (www.dmhcares.org/services/foundation). Memorial services are pending.
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