The Life of Shelton Doyle Blalock, Everyday American

July 2, 2010 6:48 AM

The Life of Shelton Doyle Blalock, Everyday American. Doyle Blalock was a son, submariner, husband, mailman, father, gardener, rockhound, artisan, grandfather, and friend: a regular guy with a remarkable life. What makes him particularly remarkable, though, is that his grandson, Lance Dean, created such a thorough record of his life to share with the internet, from Doyle's childhood in Golden Grove, Mississippi, his service as a sailor during World War II, his return to Mississippi and marriage to the lovely Lodena Alexander, to his post-retirement vocation as an artisan, creating "sand paintings" and demonstrating his art. (Links are to images out of context. See the first link for descriptions.)

Of particular interest are videos of Doyle talking about his submarine experience, and demonstrating sand painting on the local news.

posted by ocherdraco (4 comments total)

Aw, thanks for posting that. Such a sweet tribute to a grandfather.
posted by padraigin at 7:52 AM on July 2, 2010

Thank you for posting that! This was a really interesting read. When I was a kid, visiting my own Mamaw and Papaw in Arkansas, they got us kids making sand (actually salt colored with sidewalk chalk) art in jars; I wonder if that was inspired by some of the news this gentleman made with his artwork.
posted by sldownard at 7:56 AM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]

That was really great. My mother-in-law wanted me to interview her father about his WWII service (N. Africa, Sicily, France, The "Bulge") and put something together for the family, this is inspiring I make take a shot at it. Unfortunately he passed away but I may be able to put something together based on our conversations.
posted by MikeMc at 8:39 AM on July 2, 2010

so this is what happens when you go to heaven
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:24 PM on July 2, 2010 [1 favorite]