Jackie Ray Blank

Jackie Ray Blank, 65, of Boonville, passed away at his home on Dec. 25, 2013.
Visitation for Jackie will be at Davis Funeral Chapel on Tuesday, Dec. 31 from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. onWednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 at Davis Chapel with Doug Weekley officiating. Burial will follow, with full military honors, at the Old Lamine Cemetery to be with his parents, his grandmother and his baby daughter.
Jackie was born to the union of Leon J.A. Blank and Effie Marie (Pruitt) Blank at home in Jefferson City, MO. He attained the age of 65 years 5 month and 4 days. He attended Locust Grove Elementary at Lamine through the eighth grade and graduated from Boonville High School. He entered into the U.S. Marines after graduation in 1967 and graduated from Marine Corp Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA. He was deployed to Viet Nam and was stationed along the demilitarized zone, serving two consecutive tours there. After Viet Nam he was stationed aboard a ship on a Mediterranean cruise before his honorable discharge with rank of E-4 in 1971.
He married Vivian Sue (Jasper) Lang on Dec. 21, 1968 while at home on leave between his tours in Viet Nam. Then on Feb. 10, 1986 he married Randi Jo (Ranabarger) Helton Blank. He worked as a mechanic in and around Boonville and Columbia for most of his life. He coached Tri-County T-Ball and Little League baseball in Blackwater and Junior girls softball in Boonville for several years. He enjoyed coaching kids and and watching them play any sport. He enjoyed his work as a mechanic as well as gardening, hunting and fishing and mostly his children and grandchildren. Even though poor health slowed him down he was proud of the fact that he was able to contribute his time and expertise to the Community Garden project at the Lamine Church of Christ.
Jackie was preceded in death by his parents, his only sister, Joyce Ann (Blank) Foster and an infant daughter, Tammy Lynn Blank. He is survived by his wife, Randi Jo, of the home, six children and fifteen grandchildren: Melissa (Mark) Jenkins and their children, Natasha and John of Blackwater, Robert Helton Jr. and his son, Robert Helton III (Sandra Gail) and their children, Cassidy, Courtney and Hunter of Dixon, MO. Rebecca 'Bekah' Haston and her children, Aurora, Kendall, Kyleigh and Sawyer of Boonville/Brunswick and their daddies -- Alan Haston and Dan Randolph. Stephen Helton of Boonville (Amanda), their children, Bethany, Maggie and Brandon, of Vienna, MO. John Blank (Pricilla Wade) and their children, Lilly and Gabriel of Pilot Grove. Troy and Sheridan Blank of USMC - Boonville. One aunt, several nieces and nephews, cousins as well as one sister-in-law, two brothers-in-law and a multitude of friends also survive.
In lieu of flowers the family request memorials be directed to Preferred Hospice of Columbia or to a Cooper County summer sports league of the donor's choice.