William "Bill" Buford Blackburn

Mr. William “Bill” Buford Blackburn, age 88 of North Wilkesboro, passed away Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, Winston-Salem.

He was always positive, never complaining, always excited about life. His brother, Raymond said, “If you could even write a book about him, probably no one would believe it,” but here are a few highlights:

A veteran who proudly served in the US Army, he was at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany during the initial building of the Wall when it was just barbed wire and guard posts. 

He built his own home in North Wilkesboro, and later in life built a family cabin on his grandfather’s land in Roaring River. Unhappy with just ONE workshop, he added three more to it and when that burned down, he promptly built it all back again better than before. 

He was in a very serious accident in 1990 and lost his leg, but he merely looked at it as a new challenge to overcome. He spent the next 35 years working on his own prosthetic leg with his daughter frequently being asked to order a knee here, a foot there, and stretchy sheep hides to make the leg as comfortable as possible.

He loved to work and no job was too big or too small, but he especially loved working for people who were in need. He built wheelchair ramps and put up handrails and safety features for people too numerous to count. He enjoyed solving a problem and was thrilled to be presented with one.

He was a brother, father, pawpaw, farmer, electrician, plumber, mechanic, road paver, HVAC technician, builder, woodworker and carpenter, stonemason, metal worker and welder, remodeler, fence builder, concrete pourer, bobcat operator, motor rebuilder, inventor, engineer, bargain hunter, and most of all Fixer of All Things. And if he ran up against something he didn’t know how to do, well, that was a New Project and he was excited to learn. 

He was a faithful member of Ronda Baptist Tabernacle for over 60 years where he taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. He would readily share the gospel in both word and deed wherever he went.

Of all his accomplishments, he was most proud of his children and grandchildren. We should all be so fortunate to live our life as positively as he did.

Bill (on the Hill) was born March 29, 1937, in Wilkes County to Willie and Wilma Clonch Blackburn. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife of 65 years, Evelyn (Bauguess) Blackburn, two sisters, Opal Blackburn and Hazel Chambers, and six brothers, Marvin, Steve, Kenneth, Larry, Flay, and Jimmy Blackburn.

He is survived by his son, Jeff (Tracie) and his daughter, Melissa (Nolan); grandchildren, Hannah, Jenna and Caleb; three sisters, Shelby Blackburn (Farris), Elean Earp, and Peggy Walton; four brothers, Raymond Blackburn, Danny Blackburn (Paulette), Mike Blackburn (Carol) and Terry Blackburn (Nancy); brother-in-law, Herman Chambers; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 8, 2025, at Ronda Baptist Tabernacle with Pastor Josh Blevins officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 2:00 PM prior to the service. Burial will be in The Town of Ronda Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ronda Baptist Tabernacle Building Fund, PO Box 21, Ronda, NC 28670.

Online condolences may be made to www.reinssturdivant.com.

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