Individual Details

Thomas "Tom" O'Neil Blocker, 84, of Evansville, IN, passed away Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at St. Mary's Medical Center.
Tom was born in Hamburg, Arkansas on January 3, 1927, he was one of fourteen children born to Allie Mae Higginbotham Blocker and Albert Ashley Blocker.
Tom proudly served his country during WWII as a member of the United States Army. After the Army, his passion for music took him to Las Vegas, where he formed the band "The Ramblers". He was a self-taught musician, with an ear for music. After many years of playing, his travels brought him to Evansville where he continued to play in bands around the city on weekends. During the week, Tom was a truck driver for Ohio Valley Hardware for many years, and later worked for Vanderburgh County Road Department.
Tom loved to fish, and making music with his fiddle and guitar. He enjoyed cooking and forever trying to feed someone, telling jokes, and watching baseball. But what he enjoyed most was taking care of Paula, his wife of 40 years (it was always a debate who was taking care of whom).
Tom was preceded in death by his parents, eleven siblings, and two children, Tommy, Mary Kathleen.
Tom is survived by his wife, Paula Diane Huffman Blocker, four daughters, Jane Jennings of Utah, Gail Inman of Nevada, Connie Swatzell of South Carolina and Mary Blocker of Evansville, step-daughter, Kimberly Durham of Florida, and a son, Derek Blocker of Evansville, two brothers, Percy Blocker of Evansville, and Robert Blocker of Kentucky. Tom also leaves behind fourteen grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and his four beloved pets, Buddy, Kalib, Zoey, and Booger.
A celebration of Tom's life will be held at 7:30 P.M. on Friday, December 23, 2011 at Browning Funeral Home, 738 Diamond Avenue Evansville, IN 47711 with Pastor Steve Clayton officiating. Tom is to be cremated. At a later date, Tom and Paula will be buried together at Ebenezer Cemetery in Spencer County, Indiana, united in death as they were united in life.
Friends may visit from 4:00 P.M. until service time on Friday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the USO, PO Box 96322 Washington, DC 20090-6322, or in most any US airport in memory of Tom.
Condolences may be made online at www.browningfuneral.com.
Published in Courier Press on Dec. 22, 2011.

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Birth	3 Jan 1927	Hamburg, Ashley County, Arkansas
Census (family)-shared	9 Apr 1930	(Albert Ashly Blocker and Allie Mae Higginbotham) De Bastrop, Ashley County, Arkansas
Census (family)-shared	16 Apr 1940	(Albert Ashly Blocker and Allie Mae Higginbotham) Prairie, Ashley County, Arkansas
Marriage	1950	Irma Leona Patricia Hanley
Divorce	1958	Irma Leona Patricia Hanley
Marriage	1971	Living
Death	20 Dec 2011	Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Burial		Ebenezer Cemetery, Hatfield, Spencer County, Indiana

Spouse	Irma Leona Patricia Hanley (1923 - 2014)
Child	Thomas O. Blocker (1951 - 2006)
Child	Mary Kathleen Blocker (1952 - 1984)

Spouse

Living

Father	Albert Ashly Blocker (1886 - 1967)
Mother	Allie Mae Higginbotham (1889 - 1964)
Sibling	John Wesley Blocker (1906 - 1989)
Sibling	Joseph C. Blocker (1908 - )
Sibling	James Paul Blocker (1909 - 1969)
Sibling	Harvey Hall Blocker (1911 - 2002)
Sibling	Jessie Albert Blocker (1913 - 1997)
Sibling	Cecil Preston Blocker (1916 - 1996)
Sibling	Georgia Mayrene Blocker (1918 - 1999)
Sibling	Living
Sibling	Janie Maude Blocker (1924 - )
Sibling	Robert Dean Blocker Sr. (1925 - 2019)
Sibling	Percy L. Blocker (1928 - 2019)
Sibling	Connie Cone Blocker (1930 - 1974)
Sibling	Cora Blocker ( - )

Notes