Blair Childs

Blair Childs, 93, of Suffield, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, October 27. The son of Virginia Fiske Childs and Blair Childs, he was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. He was predeceased in 1999 by his wife, Carolyn Hatheway Alcorn Childs of Suffield. Blair grew up in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. He attended Hotchkiss School and Yale University. He served in the Navy for three years during the Korean conflict. He married Carol in 1952 and lived in Honolulu for the first year of their marriage. They soon moved to Granby and then Suffield, where they raised their three children while he worked at Hamilton Standard. Always civic-minded and generous, Blair was involved in numerous volunteer activities. He was on both the Zoning Board and the Board of Finance for over 20 years and served as chair of each. He was then elected Town Treasurer, and, in that capacity, he oversaw the computerization of town finances which was paid for using the salary that he donated to the town. He also volunteered as an ambulance driver, tutor for incarcerated people, and counselor for preparing tax returns for seniors. He was a member of the Second Baptist Church, the Suffield Rotary, the Suffield Land Conservancy, Suffield Historical Society and the Fox Hollow Gun Club. He was also the Suffield Observer's paperboy for years. Blair was a true family man and was happiest when surrounded by his children and grandchildren. He took his extended family to Squam Lake in New Hampshire every year for over 20 years. His 80th birthday was celebrated with his whole family in the Galapagos Islands, and his 90th was spent together circumnavigating Iceland. Always on the move, Blair taught his children tennis, skiing, and swimming at young ages. He was a life-long competitor in tennis and paddle tennis, as well as skiing, golf, bridge, touch football, and swimming in college. A fierce competitor, he was club champion in tennis and paddle tennis for many years, including competing with Carol in mixed doubles. Blair loved traveling and experiencing as many cultures around the world as possible. He made it to all seven continents on fantastic trips, and his love of geography helped him be highly skilled at crossword puzzles. He is survived by his partner of 20 years, Peggy Robards and her extended family; a daughter, S. Terry Childs and her husband, Robert Alloway; son, Blair Gordon Childs and wife, Erin Shaffer, and son, Christopher Alcorn Childs and his wife, Eliza; and five grandchildren, Anna, Alexandra, Maysie, Austin, and Hayden. Friends are welcome to attend a graveside ceremony at the Woodlawn Cemetery (Bridge St., Suffield, CT) on Saturday, October 31, at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Childs Memorial Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 10 Columbus Blvd., Hartford, CT 06106. Nicholson & Carmon Funeral Home has care of arrangements. To leave on-line condolences, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com