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BLALOCK -- Dorothy B., 88, a resident of Silver City, entered eternal rest in Monday, June 16, 2008 at her residence. She was born on February 6, 1920 in Hartley O'Brien County, IA, to Roy Erwin and Della Lull (White) Baumann. Professor Emeritus in economics, Dorothy Blalock encouraged thousands of WON students to think and work hard during her 42-year work tenure. In 1950 she arrived in Silver City by Plymouth car to take a job at what was then NM Western College, degree in hand from the University of Minnesota, and capped her distinguished career here with a commencement address in the winter of 1992. On December 8, 1992 President of the WNMU Board of Regents, Bob Martin, conferred the degree of Doctorate of Science, honor causa, on Ms. Blalock for her contribution to WNMU and Grant County. A native of Iowa, her family moved to Minnesota where she entered the first grade. She finished school at the University of Minnesota prior to WWII. In 1942 she enlisted in the WAVES (Women Accepted For Volunteer Emergency Services) - US Naval Reserves. She served as an Aviation Mechanic's mate 1st class. She wanted to be a Yeoman, but they needed her as a mechanic. She said she was a bit disappointed women couldn't go over seas to help in the war effort, but none-the-less, Dorothy was still proud to serve her country. After leaving the Navy in 1945, Ms. Blalock went back to the University of Minnesota for more degrees. She was one of the first women to get an economics major. She completed her Master of Arts and advanced studies at Okalahoma State and Southern California. She has been the recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship, and Blalock also served as a member of the State of New Mexico Council on Economic Education. In 1950, she moved to Silver City and began her career at Western. In the 42 years she taught at Western, she was also an active member of the WNMU community, she was deeply involved in the Faculty Senate, and was elected to serve as its president for several years. She was responsible for establishing WNMU's chapter of PI Gamma Mu, an international social science honor society, and was the first woman to serve on the organization's Board of Trustee's. She also served as acting Summer Session Director. She was the first professor to have an Endowed Professorship at WNMU. A long time community leader, Dorothy Bumann Blalock served the communities in Grant County through her long-term service as a member and/or serving on the board of numerous organizations working to improve the community in which she choose to live, including service as a founding board member of Prospectors, the Silver City Grant County Economic Development Corporation (SIGRED), Border Area Mental Health, Community Concert, and the Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce, where she was a prime mover and shaker. She helped start the above mentioned organizations, as well as the Art Council, she helped reactivate the Community Concert series in the 60's and was instrumental in the acquisition of the grand piano for the Fine Arts Auditorium. She was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, and has served on the church building and grounds committee, besides the vestry. Ms. Blalock served as the chair of the Retiree ("Sunshine") Committee for SIGRED from 1982 until she originated the idea to have "SilverFest" a celebration of retirees and volunteers in Grant County. She served as chair of SilverFest from 1988 to 1996 when the Chamber took over the event. When she was 42, as a grandmother with a sophomore in college, she decided to learn the game of golf, but she broke her shoulder which limited her ability to play. Instead, she traveled to Europe several times, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Singapore, Hawaii, Alaska, and Hong Hong. She and her friend, Elsa Valverde, toured Germany, France, and England in the summer of 2007. She is survived by one daughter, Kathryn Strange and her husband Donald from Tucson, Arizona; one brother, Roy Bumann and wife Bernice from Barnum, Minnesota; two grandchildren, Christopher Strange and wife Cruz from Tucson, Arizona; Lonnie Strange and wife Vera from Duncan, Oklahoma; seven great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Della Bumann. A Celebration of Life Service will take place on Sunday June 22, 2008 at 5 p.m., at Terrazas Funeral Chapels with Rev. Robert Ihlefeld and Dr. John Counts officiating. A Funeral Mass will take place on Monday, June 23, 2008 at 9 a.m., at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Silver City. Inurnment will follow at Fort Bayard National Cemetery, will full military honors. Pallbearers will be Lonnie Strange, Christopher Strange, J.P. Jones, Randy Villa, John Baldwin, and Don White Sr. Honorary pallbearers will be Linda Baldwin and Linda K. Jones. Cremation will take place at Terrazas Crematory in Santa Clara. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Terrazas Crematory "trusted care for the ones you love" 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com
        Published on: Sun June 22, 2008