James Grady Blanchette's Obituary
BLANCHETTE, JAMES GRADY died on April 23, 2013 at the age of 90, at his home in Dallas, TX. Jim was born on April 29, 1922, in Dallas, to Thelma Keys Blanchette and James Grady Blanchette, Sr. He graduated from Highland Park High School and received both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Texas at Austin. While at UT, Jim was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and the Texas Cowboys. Jim then enlisted in the United States Navy and bravely served our country in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans during World War II. He married Bess Neblett of Stephenville, TX before reporting aboard ship on May 29, 1944. At the conclusion of the war, Bess and Jim moved to Boston, where he received a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. They then moved to Dallas to raise their three daughters and to begin Jim’s long and distinguished legal career. Jim was active in many legal, civic and social organizations. One in particular, close to his heart, was the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, where he joined in 1933, and served as a deacon, an elder and in various other positions within the church. He also served on the boards and committees of Presbyterian Village North, Presbyterian Hospital, University of Texas Dad’s Association and UT Chancellor’s Council and as President of Northwood Country Club. He had many diverse interests and talents: ranching, hunting, golfing, collecting stamps and southwestern art, reading and traveling. He loved and was proud of his family and made many dear friends throughout his life. He is survived by his beloved wife, Bess of 69 years; his daughters, Linda Bess Ponti and her husband, Robert John Ponti of Dallas, Katherine Elizabeth Hill and her husband, James Darrell Hill of Midland, TX and Martha Jowell Caschette and her husband, Richard Brewster Caschette of Littleton, CO; seven grandchildren – Tara Sinco (Russell) of Montgomery, AL; Jennifer Ashby (Danny) of Dallas; Amanda Burkett (Greg) of The Woodlands, TX; Courtney Ptak (Dustin) of Midland; Katherine Caschette and Margaret Caschette of Denver, CO; Andrew Caschette of Boulder, CO; and eight great-grandchildren – Madeline and Katherine Sinco, Brendan, Colin and William Ashby, Benjamin and Cameron Burkett and Paige Ptak. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Bette Blanchette Schleier. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM, Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at Presbyterian Village North, 8600 Skyline Drive, Dallas, Texas 75243. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the First Presbyterian Church Foundation of Dallas.
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