Funeral services for John Pat Blakely were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, in the Oliver Funeral Home Chapel, with burial following in Oakwood Cemetery. The Rev. Terry Corley officiated the service. Pallbearers were Kris Blakely, Joe Goodson, Alex Blakely, Roy Webb Blakely, Gene Blakely, and Mike Blakely. Bill Johnson served as honorary pallbearer.
Visitation was held Saturday, Feb. 10, from 1 p.m. until service time at Oliver Funeral Home.
John Pat Blakely was born May 17, 1935, to Fred and Annie Bennett Blakely. He passed from this life Feb. 7, 2024, at 10:35 a.m. at the age of 88. He lived his life in and around Winona. He was born into a timber cutting family. He was a strong, good-looking man with a very strong work ethic and an extreme loyalty to his family. His 4th grade education did not hold him back. He became a good auto mechanic, steel fabricator, welder, and anything else he needed to be. He also built hundreds of houses as a contractor. He loved to grow several gardens every year and loved giving vegetables to friends and family. He repaired travelers' vehicles to get them down the road with no cost to them. Pat was always ready to help someone.
His years of hard dedicated work built a strong body that served him well in beating off some life-threatening diseases such as beating cancer twice and several others that would have killed the average man.
Pat's pride and joy were his two grandchildren whom he asked about several times every day up until the end.
Pat was a good man, and he will be greatly missed.
Pat is survived by his sisters, Mary Lee Flint of Grenada and Barbara Johnson of McCarley; brother, Jerry Blakely (Shirley) of Winona; two grandsons, John Alex Blakely (Melissa) and Roy Webb Blakely; and a host of nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Sue Grant Blakely; daughter, Vivian Hathcock; son, John Wayne Blakely; sister, Dorothy Blakely Sullivan; and brothers, James Fred Blakely, Bernard Blakely, Homer Blakely, and Harold Blakely.
Memorial contributions may be made to Eskridge Baptist Church, c/o Barbara Collins, 209 Locke Drive, Kilmichael, MS 39747.
Oliver Funeral Home of Winona handled the arrangements. An online guestbook may be signed at www.ofhwinona.com
