J. Douglas Blackburn

BLACKBURN
J Douglas Blackburn passed peacefully in his sleep at home Friday, September 3rd, 2010. J retired in 1990 from a long and successful career in radio, having programmed dozens of stations both in the US and internationally. The career success he was most proud of was creating The Loop (WLUP) taking the number 1 place among five rock stations in Chicago in 1980, even outperforming both the ABC and NBC stations. The Loop went on to become a legendary station for 30 years. J suffered a broken neck from a martial arts accident in 1990; the fused area was broken again in an auto accident in 1993, forcing his retirement. J captured many of his exploits in a thinly-veiled novel, The Radio Gypsies, published in 2008. He served two tours in Vietnam. He married his wife, Chancey (Loretta) Angeline Blackburn, in 1974 followed by a three year long honeymoon in the Caribbean, snorkeling, sailing and consulting many radio stations in the US Virgin Islands and the Greater and Lesser Antilles. They remained devoted to each other until his death. During their 36 years together, they rescued and gave homes to dozens of cats, J's all-time favorite being Tattainger. J was a world traveler, a collector of art and a lover of history. He loved fine clothes, a good cigar, Armagnac and a great book. He is survived by his wife; two children (from previous marriages), Geoffrey Blackburn and Stacia Langenheder; two siblings, Gayle Pruitt and John Blackburn; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He is the oldest son of JoAnne and Windel Rexford Blackburn of Burnet, TX, both deceased. The family will receive friends on Monday, September 6, from 5:00-7:00 P.M. at Porter Loring Mortuary North.

SERVICE
TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 7, 2010
10:00 A.M.
PORTER LORING
NORTH CHAPEL

Interment will be in the Burnet Cemetery in Burnet, TX, near his mother, father, and grandparents, Dody and Lucille Schilling, under a pecan tree that he planted with his granddad when J was a boy. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Make a Wish Foundation, 7823 W. US Highway 90, San Antonio, TX 78227, or to the Animal Defense League, 11300 Nacogdoches, San Antonio, TX 78217.
You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com
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