Joseph Nelson Black Sr.

Joseph Nelson Black, 87, of Dallas, went home to be with his Lord on Sept. 22, 2006, after a short illness. Services will be 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at Gatesville Funeral Home. Burial, with military honors, will follow at Restland Cemetery. A native of Coryell County, Texas, he served as a communications sergeant in the Army Air Corps during World War II and was assigned to the 1716th Signal Battalion in the Pacific theater until he was discharged in 1945. Mr. Black retired in 1985 from 3M National Advertising Company where he served as a corporate real estate representative and lease specialist. During his career at 3M National, he was a consistent top performer and member of the Commander's Club, earning travel awards to Europe, Australia, Bermuda, Hawaii, Tahiti, Mexico, Canada, South America, and many other destinations, accompanied by his wife of 45 years, Ardith Combs Black. He was first married to Lillie Dickson (now deceased) and there were two children by that union, Dr. Jim Nelson Black of Arlington, Texas, and Mrs. Teresa Shoneff of Pismo Beach, Calif. There were two children born to Mr. Black and Mrs. Ardith Black, Joseph Nelson "Chip" Black, Jr., of Irving, Texas, and Mrs. Jeanne Blakeslee of Haslet, Texas. Mr. Black is a former board member of Union Gospel Mission in Dallas and a member of Gideons International where he distributed Bibles and New Testaments to tens of thousands of students, servicemen, hotel guests, travelers and prisoners during nearly 40 years of volunteer service. He and Mrs. Black were charter members of Faith Bible Church in Dallas. In addition to his wife and four children, he is survived by 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Ara Mae Sheets of South Mountain, Texas; and a brother, Col. Frank A. Black (USAF Ret.) of Gatesville. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to Gideons International, P.O. Box 764433, Dallas, TX 75373 January 8, 1919 - September 22, 2006