Herbert Blankinship

On August 2, 2024, Herbert Blankinship, age 97 filed his final flight plan, taxied down life’s runway, and lifted off to Heaven. With his Resurrection faith, we are assured he has been reunited with his cherished wife, Elizabeth and son, Gary Don.

Herbert Blankinship was born in Oklahoma City, OK to Nettie and Herman Blankinship. He was the oldest of five children. He grew up on a farm near Anadarko, OK, spending his younger years riding horses and plowing fields. At the young age of 17, after a dispute with his dad, and against his mother’s wishes, Herb’s dad signed for Herb to join the Navy. For the first time, Herb left the insulated world of rural Oklahoma, and traveled by train to San Diego’s Naval Base. He often fondly recalled those days as a young sailor on his own in a world totally different from his humble origins. Fortunately for his family, his ship never sailed, and WWII ended during his enlistment.

After an honorable discharge, Herb returned to Oklahoma and found employment in the oil fields, most notably with Parker Drilling Company. He rose from roughneck, tool pusher, and rig superintendent to Vice President and served on Parker Drilling’s Board of Directors. Herb had a lifelong respect and admiration for his employer Bob Parker, as well as the company ethos. While Herb was with Parker, he oversaw the drilling of the deepest well in the world at the time – 23,456 TD on the Lineberry lease near Kermit in 1962.

Upon returning home from the Navy, a mutual friend introduced Herb to Elizabeth Smallwood of Apache, OK. Elizabeth and Herb married in 1947 and were married for 71 years before her passing in 2019. Together they raised a son, Gary Don and a daughter, Barbra Grafa. Tragically, their son Gary died in a work-related vehicle accident at the age of 18, shortly after graduating from Lee High School.

Even though Herb had been a Navy sailor, from an early age, he was fascinated with flight. He dreamed of flying and piloting his own plane. Around the age of thirty, he realized his dream when he obtained his private pilot license. This was not an easy feat for him considering he suffered from motion sickness. But he persevered and held his pilot license for nearly 50 years. He was a Cessna man by preference and even watched his beloved Cessna 210 roll off the production line in Wichita, KS. He and Elizabeth flew many trips to Oklahoma and their Ruidoso home. When his two granddaughters were 3 and 4 years old, Herb volunteered to keep them while his wife and daughter both attended an afternoon function. Upon their return, they discovered that Herb had packed his granddaughters off to the airport and taken them for a “spin” over Midland. The girls were delighted to see all of Midland’s landmarks pointed out to them from the air, including their very own home!

He retired from Parker Drilling in the mid 1970’s after he and Elizabeth pursued and developed the first Pizza Hut franchises in Midland and surrounding West Texas towns. In a second career they built their restaurant together and enjoyed the camaraderie of friends and fellow franchisees. Herb was honored as Restauranteur of the Year by the Texas Restaurant Association in 1990.

Starting in 2005, Herb along with other oilfield pioneers, undertook the project of “storytelling”. A compilation of their tales resulted in the 2008 publication of “Oil Patch Stories and Other Lies” by Johnnye Montgomery. It is a collection of oil patch folklore where the storytellers portray the beating heart of the oil patch, and where you had to be a gambler to survive. Many of the storytellers made and lost fortunes repeatedly in the Permian Basin oilfields. In 2015, Permian Basin Petroleum Museum honored Herb as their Top Pioneer.

Herb’s trademarks were his hats which he wore with a dapper style, and a harmonica that he just happened to have in his pocket in case he was ever asked to entertain with a rendition of “Turkey in the Straw” or “Orange Blossom Express”.

He was a member of First Methodist Church, where he and Elizabeth made many good memories with their Sunday School class. He held honorary membership in the Midland Exchange Club and served as an airport board member.  Herb and his late wife were supporters of Midland College, believing that education maximizes life opportunities. They also supported Midland Memorial Hospital, Senior Link (Meals on Wheels) and several other organizations.

In 2016, Elizabeth and Herb moved to Manor Park. He has been a resident of Cowden Cottage since 2017, where he received loving attention from their staff and employees. Thank you to Jessica, who served all those delicious homecooked meals. And to Mary Ellen, Brenda, Kendra, Valerie and other nurses and aides for their excellent care. Thank you to Hospice as well, whose visits meant so much to him and the family. On his admittance to Manor Park, CEO Alan Hale paid the highest compliment to Daddy, when in unsolicited remarks, he said “…Herb never complains, always has a smile, and he sets a good example for all of us on how to age well”. Such was the life of a poor Oklahoma country boy who never forgot his humble origins and became a member of our greatest generation. He was forever grateful for the good fortune bestowed on him by God and his country.  He was a true patriot.

Herbert is survived by his daughter, Barbra Grafa, and her husband Trey whom Herb loved like a son; he is also survived by his two granddaughters, Tiffany Meade and her husband Todd, Courtney Kerr and her husband Andy; five great-grandchildren, Gunner and Logan Meade of Midland, and Addison, Carter and Cooper Kerr of Ft. Worth; his youngest sister, Sarah Ann Young survives him as well.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Eizabeth; son, Gary Don; brothers, Norman Blankinship and Wendell Blankinship; and his sister, Virginia Pownell.

We invite family and friends to join us in sending him home at 2:00pm, Saturday, August 17, 2024 at First Methodist Glass Chapel. A reception will follow in the church atrium.

Herb never passed up a U.S. serviceman who was hitchhiking. Since he had relied on this means of transportation himself as a young Navy sailor, he empathized with their plight. He would be honored if you chose to support Tunnel to Towers Foundation (T2T.org), which is a charity that provides mortgage-free homes for injured military veterans and first responders.

Wheels up  Papa! May you experience Blue Skies and Tailwinds. Godspeed on your journey.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.

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