Michael John Blakebrough

Michael John Blakebrough
August 2, 1936-October 11, 2011
Oxford
Michael John (Mike) Blakebrough died at the age of seventy-five at the Duke Hospice in Durham, NC from cancer. He was a resident of Oxford, NC at the time of his death. Michael was born in Slough, England outside of London to John Brian Blakebrough and Jessie Smart Blakebrough Pipitone. Michael's childhood was spent in WWII England. He immigrated to this country with his mother and brother Gerry in 1947. He attended the School of Industrial Arts and Design in NYC before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1955. After discharge from the USAF he attended the University of Maryland graduating with a degree in Vocational Education Commercial Art. Michael made his living as a water color artist selling his work at art shows and in galleries in the Eastern United States. Michael is survived by his wife, Donna Welch Blakebrough, his mother, Jessie Pipitone, his brothers, Gerry Blakebrough, and Phillip Pipitone of the United States and Kevin and Leslie Blakebrough of the United Kingdom, his daughters Elizabeth Evans, and Allison Brown and husband, Randall Brown, a stepson, Jon Paul Young, II, and wife Sara Moreno Young, and three grandchildren, Michael Evans, Jacob Young and Sofia Young, a niece, Susan Alexander and a nephew, Anthony Pipitone and an ex-wife Mary Charles Blakebrough. A Celebration of Michael's life will be held Sunday October 23, 2011 in Durham, NC at the Five Oaks Recreation Club from 2:00pm to 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Salvation Army in Henderson, 355 Alexander Ave. Henderson, NC 27536.