Tony Blackwell Jr. of Carrier Mills

Tony Blackwell, Jr., 85, of Carrier Mills, Illinois, died at 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018 at the Carrier Mills Nursing Home.

Funeral services will begin at noon on Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 at Felty Funeral Home in Carrier Mills. The Rev. Ownly Williams will officiate.

Visitation will be held prior to the service, from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday.

Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery, where military rites will be performed by the Carrier Mills and Harrisburg American Legions and the Army National Guard Ritual Team.

Tony was born on Sept. 11, 1932 in Indian Mound, Tennessee to the late Tony Blackwell and Corrine (Alark) Chavous.

He married the former Frances Evans on Aug. 1, 1975 and she preceded him in death on Dec. 14, 2005.

Tony was a retired railroad worker, a member of the Harvest Deliverance Center in Harrisburg, IL and an Army Veteran of the Korean War.

He is survived by eight children, Jeffrey Blackwell of Michigan; Janice Blackwell of California; Anthony Blackwell of New York; Jody Blackwell of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Anita Mills of Colorado, Lana Taborn and Valado Taborn, both of Carrier Mills, and Carla Ross of Jamaica; a brother, Harlan Portee of Carrier Mills; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Frances Blackwell and son, Kevin Taborn.