Wanda Jean Blackwell

Wanda Jean Griffith Blackwell went to be with her savior on Friday, May 15th at 6:00 p.m. 2020, at age 91. A Funeral Service will be 1:00 pm, Thursday, May 21st at Grace Gardens Funeral Home with Dr. Grant Kaul officiating. An interment at Chapel Hill Memorial Park will follow.  A Visitation with the family will be 5-7 pm, Wednesday, May 20th at Grace Gardens Funeral Home.

She was the second daughter of Levi and Sula Griffith, one of 8 siblings. She was raised on a farm in Bosque County picking cotton and peanuts and tending sheep. Her father died when she was 14 and the family moved to Waco to live with relatives. She met Billy Hugh Blackwell in 1948 and they were married in December of 1949.

Jean was always artistic and creative, and enjoyed painting, card making, scrapbooking, gardening and sewing. She started when she was a child, making toys from matchsticks and paper dolls from the Sears catalog. She worked painting photos for The Mickel Studio, Jimmy Willis Studio and Cliff Shelly.

She was an active member and teacher in CASA, an artist consortium in Waco for more than 20 years. She was a prolific painter in oils, acrylics and watercolor.

Bill preceded her in 1984. She is survived by 4 children: Charles Glen Blackwell, Steven Darrell Blackwell and wife Susan, Laura Melissa Stoltz and husband Jim, and Cara Lynn Blackwell; 5 grandchildren: Michael Blackwell, Derek Blackwell, William Blackwell, Meghan Blackwell, and Savanna Stollz; and 2 sisters: Joyce Mathis and Ruby Rogers.

The family gives a special thank you to Scott & White, Wesley Woods and Kindred Hospice.