Roger Blalock

Roger L. Blalock, 65

Roger L. Blalock, 65, of West Lafayette, passed away at his residence on Monday, April 9, 2012. Born in Chicago, Ill., on April 17, 1946, he was the son of the late Lunie and Arizona Burnett Blalock.

Roger was a 1964 graduate of David Glasgow Farragut High School in Chicago. He then attended Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa, for a year. He came to Purdue University in 1966, where he majored in physical education and minored in communication, and was a member of the Purdue basketball team, earning his bachelor's degree in 1969.

In 1971, he became a financial aid counselor at Purdue. Blalock was an assistant basketball coach at Purdue from 1974 to 1979 and at Eastern Michigan from 1979 to 1981. He returned to Purdue in 1981 and was the assistant director in the Office of Admissions for 11 years.

In 1992, Roger was named the associate director of the Office of Admissions and then became the athletic department compliance coordinator.

In 1995, Roger was named the assistant athletic director and became the associate athletic director in 1999. He was promoted to senior associate athletic director in June 2004 and served in that position until his retirement on January 31, 2012.

During his tenure as senior associate athletic director, he oversaw seven programs: men's and women's cross country, softball, men's and women's track and field, volleyball and wrestling.

Roger was a member of the Purdue Black Alumni Association, and for many minority students on campus, he was seen as a trailblazer. He was a member of the local chapter of the NAACP, the John Purdue Club, a former board member at the Hanna Community Center, a former active member and board member with the United Way of Tippecanoe County and a coach for the former local AAU Lafayette Hustlers basketball team.

Surviving is his wife, Joyce L. "J.B." (Young) Blalock, of West Lafayette; a daughter, Erin J. Blalock, of West Lafayette; a son, R.B. Blalock, of Atlanta, Ga.; six siblings, Virtral L. Goode, of Indianapolis, Claressia D. Wade, of Chicago, Ill., Arthur G. Blalock, of Denver, Colo., Adjoa Denise Blalock, of Chicago, Ill., Chris A. Blalock (wife, Jayne), of Aurora, Ill., and Jacqueline B. Rudd (husband, Rod), of Indianapolis.

Also surviving is a grandson, Miles Germany; two godsons, Winston Greene and Immanuel Stennis; a goddaughter, Iyanna Staley; sister-in-laws, Ola D. Robinson, of Memphis, Tenn. and Ruby Kelly, of Indianapolis; brother-in-laws, Elijah Young (wife, Shirl), of Louisville, Ky., Thurman M. Young (wife, Rose), of New Orleans, La., Michael T. Malone (wife, Tina) and Kevin Malone (wife, Monica), both of Valrico, Fla.; and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

The family will receive friends from 10:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Saturday, April 14, 2012, at First Christian Church, 329 N. 6th Street. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. at First Christian Church, Pastor James Foster officiating. Entombment to follow at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens Mausoleum.

The family requests memorial contributions be sent to the Roger Blalock Scholarship Fund by making checks payable to The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette (or CFGL for short) with Roger's name in the memo.

Gifts can also be made through the website at www.cfglaf.org through PayPal or the Hanna Community Center, 1201 N. 18th St., Lafayette, IN 47904.

Hippensteel Funeral Home entrusted with care. Share memories and condolences online at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com.