John E. Blankenship Jr, 68 of Effingham, passed away at 6:45 p.m. Friday, November 6, 2015 at H.S.H.S. St. Anthony Memorial Hospital in Effingham.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham with burial in Griffith Cemetery, Brownstown with military rites. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday evening at Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham. Memorials may be made to the donor's choice.

John was born December 29, 1946 in Effingham, the son of John E. Sr. and Arletta J. (Eskew) Blankenship. He married Janice C. Williams on September 6, 1981 and she survives. John served with the 101st Airborne Division in the United States Army from 1964 to 1972 and was a Vietnam veteran. After the service, he worked as a revenue officer for the United States Treasury. He was a member of New Hope Church in Effingham.

He is survived by his wife, Janice of Effingham; son, David (Stephanie) Blankenship of Dallas, TX; daughter, Renee (Wade) Godwin of Rowlett, TX; step-son, Terry (Heather) Bell of Greenville; step-daughter, Tonya Bell of Nashville, TN; half sister, Mary Cook of Leland, N.C. and half-brother, Perry Murbarger of Krum, TX; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren also survive.

John was preceded in death by his parents; step-daughter, Karen Hames; brother, Herbert Blankenship and sister, Sharon Reeder.