Carl Fredrick Blackledge's Obituary
Carl Fredrick Blackledge went home to be with the Lord on March 26, 2020 at home in the presence of his family and neighbor Wilette Daniels. He was 93 years old. Carl was born in Crichton, Alabama on August 22, 1926. His parents were Charles Henry Blackledge Sr. and Claudia Mae (Jackson) Blackledge. His siblings Charles H. Blackledge Jr. and Violet (Blackledge) Nixon, are both deceased. At an early age his parents both passed away leaving Carl and his siblings to be raised by their aunt Adelaide J. Dopwell. His only surviving first cousin Mary Saunders is also 93 years old, she resides in New York, New York.
Carl's early education was received at Crichton Elementary School in Mobile. He later attended Dunbar High School in Mobile, Alabama and was awarded his high school diploma in 1970 from Grant High Adult School in Sacramento, California. Other educational endeavors include classes in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration and EEO Counselor training, which he completed in May 1971. Most recently, Carl attended Sacramento City College.
Carl fought in WWII while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and was honorably discharged in 1946. Afterwards, he worked as a civilian for thirty-eight years beginning in Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, Alabama and McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. During those thirty-eight years Carl worked as a truck driver and air conditioning and refrigeration repair trade. His accomplishments include working on parts involved in development of the Space Shuttle. In 1982, he received a letter of commendaiton from the Equipment Mechanic Foreman and for his willingness to share his technical knowledge with others. Always an advocate for justice, he removed "whites only" signs from the water faucets at Brookley AFB during the "Jim Crow" years. He retired from McClellan AFB on December 29, 1981.
He has been an avid golfer for sixty years after working as a caddy and falling in love with the sport. He would enjoy playing golf over the years in Sacramento and while visiting New York and Mobile. During the seventies, he coached hi son's Little League boys and he also coached his daughter's Girls Softball teams. And he would always be among the crowds cheering his grandchildren's many sports activities. Carl was a well-known resident of Strawberry Manor/Del Paso Heights communities for over fifty years. He was a long-time member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Sacramento. He was married to the former Ethel Reynolds of Detroit, Michigan and to the former Autherine Tarleton of Sacramento. He is survived by his children Denise R. Alexander, Anthony L. Roberts, Carla B. Shulz (David) and his grandchildren Andrew Tarleton, Natasha McKinney (William), Milissa Shulz, Tatyana A. Shulz and Ian D. Shulz. And his great grandchildren Hasani Tarleton, Izellow Tarleton, Tyler Tarleton, Darrell Habbit Jr. and William McKinney Jr. and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
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