James Macon "Schule" Blakeman

James Macon “Schule” Blakeman May 5th, 1923 – October 4th, 2013 Richmond, TX Long-time resident of Bayou Vista, LA, James Blakeman was called home to the Kingdom of his Savior Friday evening. He recently relocated to Richmond, TX where his children were providing extended care for him and his loving wife of 67 years, Alberta Persilver Blakeman. A fall resulted in a broken hip and surgery which left him bed-ridden. He had several good weeks with family enjoying his indomitable sense of humor and joie de vivre James is remembered foremost as an educator whose uncompromising approach to teaching indelibly affected the lives of many. His students learned discipline, diagramming, and self-reliance; their school trips were funded through hard work gathering ‘ingredients’ along the levee, chicken farms, sawmills, and Lake Palourde, culminating in Fertilizer Express bus rides to destinations of their choosing. He taught mostly at Berwick High and Jr. High, along with time at MCHS, Sumpter Williams, and Franklin Academy. He operated the Shell service station at the foot of the old bridge in Berwick which was renown for its flower beds. He also welded at various shipyards. James enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1942 and served in VMA-213 in the campaigns for Guadalcanal and Bougainville. After the war, with only a fourth grade education, he entered college. Both he and Alberta used the GI Bill to earn BAs from Mississippi College. They liked to say, "We did okay - we graduated with two degrees and two kids." They returned to the Morgan City area where they made their home and enjoyed the fine things of a Cajun life - family, food, and fellowship. James is survived by his wife, Alberta, children James Jr., MaryAnn, John, and Becky, 10 grandchildren, Barbara, Lorri, Jerry, James, Brian, Byron, Sean, Sierra, Hannah, Blake; and 12 great-grandchildren,Theresa, Bobby, Joseph, Katherine, Paul, Carson, Kate, Austin, Caitlyn, Brennan, Leah, and Zack. He is preceded in death by his brothers Joe and Amoron; his sister Wendover, his first grandchild Barbie, and his first great-grandchild Joseph. The Blakeman family will be present to receive friends Wednesday, October 9, 2013 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Dettling Funeral Home, 14094 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079. James will be interred Thursday October 10th in Houston National Cemetery. Services will be conducted at 10:00 AM at the cemetery. A memorial service and reception will be held NOON at Chapelwood UMC at 11140 Greenbay St., Houston 77024.

James Macon "Schule" Blakeman

May 5, 1923 - October 4, 2013