He was born in Hartford on Dec. 10, 1921, the son of Elmer and Emma Knutson Blackwell. Denny graduated from Bulkeley High School in New London on June 16, 1939. Upon graduation he registered for the Army Air Corps and trained as an aviation cadet at Fort Devins, Mass., and at Maxwell Field in Alabama.

On July 28, 1943, he received his wings and bars and was commissioned a second lieutenant as a pilot on the B-24 Liberator. During his training he won the Army Athletic Decathlon Trophy. Lt. Blackwell completed 51 combat missions during World War II. After active duty he was commissioned a first lieutenant and received the Honors of the Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal. Before retiring from the service, Lt. Blackwell trained pilots in the new B-29 Superfortress Bomber.

Dennis and Barbara Monroe were married on March 30, 1946, in Old Lyme. The couple moved to Lyme in 1952. Dennis was a carpenter and an avid gardener. If it existed - he could grow it! There were many years that he won the local pumpkin derbies.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by four children, Diane C. Blackwell, of Bethany, Dennis Z. Blackwell, of Branford, Elmer C. Blackwell, of Lyme, and Wendy Roberts Lopez, of Naperville, Ill.; five grandchildren, Stacey Roberts Brachowski, her husband, Suave, and daughter, Michelle, of Mesa, Ariz., and Kim Roberts, Allison Roberts, Melissa Roberts and Barbara J. Roberts, all of Naperville, Ill. His brother, Erling Blackwell, of Norwich, and several nieces and nephews also survive him.

Memorial services and burial will be announced this spring.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Lyme Ambulance Association or the Lyme Fire Dept., Route 156, Lyme, CT 06371.

The Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, Beckwith Lane, Old Lyme, is in charge of arrangements.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Day on Mar. 6, 2005.

Memories and Condolences
for Dennis Blackwell

2 Entries

Stacey Brachowski

March 6, 2005

Pop Pop... I remember digging and searching for the biggest potatoes in your patch, and for the pumpkins that you literally stood me inside, the weekends boating on the Connecticut River, your famous "head-scratchins', and the way you could never give a kiss without sharing a part of your mustache and whiskers -- and then grinning ear-to-ear... and then of course the tractor rides around the yard and listening to you at night stir your coffee the perfect number of times.. I have never seen someone's face as red -- as the time when you received that perfect pinocle score.. but what I think of most is the way you smiled back at us and the love you had for Gram Gram -- We miss you Pop Pop! And know that you will be looking over us all.

Carol Orticari

March 6, 2005

Dennis,

You were something else, always an opinion, always funky clothes, always out for a smoke. God only made one Dennis and we all will miss you. You old codger. God Bless you and please look down upon us and send us a wink or two.

Carol

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