William Noel Blackard

Mr. William N. Blackard, known to many of us as Bill, Dad, Grand-daddy, and Uncle Sonny or Uncle Bill, passed away unexpectedly at Forsyth Medical Center, in the early morning hours of September 7, 2024. He was born on August 4, 1931, in Raleigh NC, to Noel Green and Eleanor Boing Blackard. Bill graduated from Needham Broughton High School and earned a BS degree in Industrial Engineering from NC State.

His strong work ethic began as a young boy where he apprenticed in his father’s workshop and maintained a paper route for 350 clients throughout college. After school his passion was track and field, where he set the school record in pole- vaulting. Accomplishments aside, his favorite memories were the jaw dropping adventures he shared with his buddies, all of whom became lifelong friends. After his graduation from NC State, he served two years in the US Airforce. He continued his service in the Reserves and was honorably discharged as Captain.

Bill’s civilian career launched with Western Electric in 1957, where he would become the primary engineer who developed the reliability program used for missile guidance systems by the US military defense industry. His trajectory of success had begun. As one of the youngest engineers to be promoted to Department Chief, he led a team of over 25 engineers in the development of computer software that was considered the most advanced of its kind – creating an “English like” language to control manufacturing via computers. (Which his children joke was the beta for the Al)

By the end of his career, he was managing six departments in Pennsylvania and Florida that were responsible for developing software for the manufacturing control of multiple factories in the US, Europe and Asia. When he retired in 1989, it didn’t exactly stick. Almost immediately, he accepted a challenge to help make an injection molding company in North Carolina more profitable. He loved a challenge and rose to the task of increasing efficiency and inventory control -- ultimately raising sales by 25% in year one.

Finally, with a strong desire to spend time with family, Bill officially retired. (Again.) Now he could travel even more with Pat, play USTA tennis three times a week, and continue his work as a volunteer at Forsyth Memorial Center, where he served for the next 26 years and contributed more than 4,200 hours. In his early 80’s Bill felt strongly that there was something more to do. He shared something unexpected with his family, “There is a voice within telling me to write a book. I admit it’s not scientific or even logical, but I’m going to try.” So, he began one of the most fulfilling chapters in his life. Staying true to engineering lingo, he entitled his book: “Decisions Determine Destiny.”

In his forward, he states his purpose: “It is my deepest wish that my children, grandchildren, extended family, friends and generations to come know that it is never too late to start making good decisions.” Bill would often declare the best decision he ever made was marrying Pat McCall, his soulmate of 65 years. She was the love of his life, and he knew it the moment he met her. According to his legendary account, he danced with Pat at a party, and as he walked her back to her fiancé he quipped, “You best marry this woman before someone else does.” A year and a half later, that lucky groom was Bill Blackard. For more on this story, affectionately called “THE Hallmark Love Story” by his children, see Chapter 7, page 51 of his book.

If you read it, Bill’s children want you to know that the book would never have happened without his editor, wordsmith and muse, Pat M Blackard. For over two years, she transformed hundreds of handwritten legal pad pages into a manuscript. Bill’s passing leaves an emptiness in the hearts of his family and friends who loved the twinkle in his blue eyes, quick smile and infamous hugs which were like an infusion of love, and his competitive spirit. For those brave enough to challenge him to tennis, water volleyball, ping pong, or card game you know he rarely lost. (Unless it was Pictionary, because engineers draw very, very slowly.)

Family and friends describe him as a lifelong student and an open-minded soul always willing to hear another point of view. This insatiable curiosity kept him young and eternally optimistic. Bill joked that because he was an engineer at heart, he had a different way of seeing things, which his children would add often meant translating everything from homework assignments to life-lessons into a Venn diagrams and flow charts Holding tightly to these memories, we believe the voice who compelled Bill to write is the same voice that led him home. While we will miss him beyond measure, he left us with the highest example of love for family and friends, and most remarkably, his unwavering faith in God.

There is no doubt that Bill Blackard’s decisions determined his destiny. His profound wish was that you would also find yours.

“I’d like to add that you must be patient with yourself along the way. Sometimes the rewards of good decision-making take time. But I promise you, it’s worth it.” ~ Bill Blackard.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Nancy Dobbins and Rebecca Avent, and his son William Noel Jr. (Tod). Bill is survived by his wife of 65 years, Pat, their daughter, Lorie Gardner (Tim), son Bradley Carl (Karen), and daughter-in-law Pam Blackard, granddaughters Amanda Gardner Applegate (Rob), Camryn Blackard, and Nichole Blackard, great granddaughter Claire Applegate, two god daughters, Ashton Mangum and Madelyn Dunmire; four nieces, Allison Van’t Hof, Amy McCall, Sheri Balke and Gwyn Nixon, and three nephews; Jeff and Daniel Dobbins and Noel Avent.

 A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 11:00 am at Mt. Tabor United Methodist Church at 3543 Robinhood Road in Winston- Salem, NC.