David Blackwell
October 17, 1940 - April 7, 2023
Eagle, Idaho - David C Blackwell, 82, passed away at home in Eagle, Idaho on April 7th, 2023, from the effects of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Born to Eilene Scott and George Blackwell, Jr. in Donnelly, Idaho on October 17, 1940 David was raised in Cascade–a fourth-generation Idahoan.
He attended Idaho State University in Pocatello and graduated with a B.A. Active in campus life at ISU, he served as junior class president and also chaired the committee responsible for entertainment, bringing in luminaries of the day including Peter, Paul and Mary, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington. He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, which resulted in lifelong friendships.
In 1964 he interned with U.S. Senator Frank Church in Washington, D.C. and worked there until entering the Peace Corps in October, 1965. He served in Colombia, South America until December, 1967. After returning to work in Senator Church's office for a year, he attended Idaho State University for graduate studies and became Director of Student Financial Aid. In May, 1969 he married Sally Patterson of Silver Spring, Maryland, whom he met while working for Senator Church.
David and Sally moved to Boise in September of 1972 when David was invited to work with Idaho Attorney General W. Anthony Park. In 1975, David was employed by the Mountain Plains Education and Employment Program (later known as the Family Education program), first as Idaho State Coordinator and subsequently as president and CEO of the six-state program headquartered in Glasgow, Montana. In 1982, he was hired by the Idaho Epilepsy League (later Epilepsy Foundation of Idaho) where he was the Executive Director for 26 years, retiring in 2008. During his tenure, he advocated and worked tirelessly for those affected by epilepsy and their families.
David had a passion for learning, staying up on current events and being in the know about all political happenings. He loved nothing more than a passionate conversation with friends about what was going on in the world. In recent years, most evenings you could find him watching the news and playing along to Jeopardy while sipping on Jameson's. David enjoyed travel-most recently to Costa Rica, the United Kingdom, and a Danube river cruise–cooking for family gatherings, reading (especially to the grandchildren), gardening, and researching family history.
He was a wonderful husband, brother, father, and Papa. He is survived by his wife, Sally Blackwell, sister Gracie Noble (Fred Noble), his daughters Rebecca Blackwell (Stuart Ford) and Katie Blackwell, grandchildren Peyton Blackwell (Kaitlin Hendrix), Emma Fennell, and Sawyer Blackwell. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert K "Scotte" Scott, in 2020.
We will celebrate David's life with a gathering on May 21st, 2023 to be held at Beside Bardenay, 612 W Grove St Boise, ID at 1-4 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Idaho Democratic Party, P.O. Box 445, Boise, ID 83702 or online idahodems.org/donate; Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/tribute-program