Caesar Augustus Blevins

1957 - 2021

Caesar Augustus Blevins
May 24, 1957 - April 7, 2021
Kansas City, Missouri - Kansas City, Missouri – Caesar Blevins, beloved partner, father, grandfather, and friend, age 63, passed away at Kansas City Hospice House, April 7, 2021 after a heroic, ten-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer. Coincidently at the exact time of his passing, the loudest thunder boom could be heard crackling across the sky. And so it was that in death, as in life, he went out with a clattering bang.
Caesar was born on May 24, 1957 on Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the only child to mother, Leila Mae (Crowell) Blevins, and father, Blanchie King Blevins. The Belvins family moved to Highland Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri in 1958. Blanchie served most of his professional life as personal security for Ewing Kauffman and Lelia owned and ran King's Thrift in east Kansas City.
It was on Highland Avenue that Caesar first honed his receiver skills as a football player. With over-protective parents, he was given clear instructions to never play in the street. For that reason, Caesar credits learning to play football, and perfect the one hand grab, by running up and down the narrow sidewalks on Highland.
Known for his killer, bell-bottomed style, tiny afro, and not so tiny swagger, Caesar made quite the splash, both on and off the football field, when he began attending Southwest High School. There he made lifelong friends and had an illustrious career as a tight end for the Southwest Indians, graduating in 1975. Caesar went on to play football at Missouri State University in Springfield and Western State University in St. Joseph, respectively.
Caesar's career at UPS began in November of 2009. Ever the embodiment of hard work and loyalty, he moved up in the ranks from warehouse loader to a coaching and mentoring role for new employees. From quality control, to company culture, Caesar worked tirelessly to imbue new team members with the values and vision that made him exceptionally proud to call UPS his work home.
In July of 2011, Caesar was diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer. Never one to take a fight laying down, he quickly got to work. In 2012, co-founding The Prostate Network, a survivor's support group with one of his best friends, Steve Hentzen. Over the years he spoke to, and inspired, thousands of men. The strength of Caesar's fight during his cancer battle was fueled by his indominable spirit, unmatched physical will, unwavering faith, and his deep desire to help people.
Over the years Caesar went to Washington D.C. to lobby for funding for prostate cancer research, speaking to elected officials on "The Hill." It was there that distinguished, United States Senator, Cory Booker, had the pleasure of meeting the one and only, Caesar Augustus Blevins.
Caesar was a lifelong member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church and a man of deep, personal faith. His church family at Mt. Pleasant was incredibly important to him. There he served as security, following in the footsteps of his father, who served in the same role. Caesar's parents were founding members of the church.
Known to most as Big C, he was just that – larger than life, a literal mountain of a man. His smile was magnanimous, his sense of humor infectious. He never met a stranger and went out of his way to connect with, and engage everyone from bank tellers, to members at of his gym family at City Gym, to folks passing on the street in front of his house in Waldo. He had a life motto of leaving people better than he found them and he did just that.
The pride of Caesar's life was his only son, Nathan Blevins, born in September of 1981. Nate proceeded his father in death in October of 2020. Nate's daughters, Remi Marie and Marley Mae Blevins, were the light of Caesar's life and he clung to his granddaughters after Nate's passing.
Caesar leaves behind too many adoring fans and best friends to name (you know who you are!) He is survived by cherished life partner, and sweetheart, Carla Jones. It's important to note that between Carla and Caesar, they know every single person in the Kansas City metro area -- their front porch serving as their office as Co-Mayors of Madison. Additionally, Caesar is survived by daughter-in-law, Dina Wathan Blevins, and granddaughters, Remi Marie and Marley Mae Blevins.
Celebration of life services will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2021 in the City Gym parking lot, 7416 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO 64114, at 11AM – cookout and community gathering to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Prostate Network.org, 2007 West 86th St., Leawood, KS 66206 or Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care, 12000 Wornall Rd., KCMO 64145.