Richard "Dick" Blaising

Richard “Dick” Keith Blaising, was born in Cleveland, OH, raised in Charleston SC and was an avid race car enthusiast. He worked with his father in the roofing business and later the Insurance business. Dick married his bride, Betty Jane Furtick in 1952. One of Dick and Betty’s favorite pastime was spent dancing on the shores of Folly beach. They along with 4 children, at the time, and race car in tow, moved to Birmingham AL in 1964 and opened a car dealership,“Birmingham Imported Cars.” Dick later went on to start the company known as Blaising Fire Equipment Co. which is currently owned and operated by two of his sons. Dick never lost his love for racing or cars, but after attending a service one evening by evangelist Wales Goebel, Dick’s passion for cars took a back seat to his passion to tell others about Jesus Christ! His heart and pocket book reflected his love for people in need, much like that of the good Samaritan in the Bible. There was no one he met, he would not share with. Either his poem (Face to Face) (as he said – written by God but downloaded to him) describing what it will be like when we are face to face with Jesus, or something God was teaching him from the Greek Bible.

In the early morning hours of January 13th his lifelong poem became his reality as he met Jesus Face to Face. He is preceded in death by his spouse, Betty Furtick Blaising;  daughter, Cynthia R. Blaising; daughter in-law, Lee L. Blaising; father, Richard H. Blaising  & mother, Charlotte G. Fleury and his brother, Harry Blaising. He is survived by sisters, Marcia MacNeill (Jim), Bonnie Tigner (John); sons, Richard H. Blaising II, (Shellee), William R. (Bill) Blaising (Julie), John  A. (Sonny) Blaising (Debi), Mark A. Blaising; daughters, Charlot A. Denny (Gene), Tammy L. Nicholson (Gilbert), Jennie K. Daniel (Harry); Daughter in Love, Angie Blaising; grandchildren, Laura M. Partridge (Josh), Brandon Stiglich, Ashlee Elliott (Josh), Hannah Messer, Sarah Messer, Brad Skipper, Brock Gilbert (Amanda), Tyler Gilbert (Danielle), Brittany Lammon (Paul), Melissa Gilbert, Steven Denny (Amy), Laura Denny, Hannah Bamberg (Ian), Sarah Nicholson, Leah Nicholson, Caleb Nicholson, Gilbert Nicholson, Ross Blaising (Maggie), Bryant Blaising, Lauren Evans (Austin), Tanner Bachofer, Chandler Bachofer, Tori Bachofer, Chase Daniel (Anna), Dakota Daniel (Kalie), Emily Kuhn (Andrew), Garrett Blaising (Whitney), Nick Blaising (Emily), Brandon Blaising, Gracie Blaising, Emma Blaising, Dru Blaising; great grandchildren, Kate Lee Partridge, Ruthie Partridge, Will Gilbert, Eli Gilbert, Scarlett Gilbert, Hanan Lammon, Audrey Griffin, Lennon Daniel, Will Daniel, Leo Kuhn, Josephine Blaising and Zeelie Blaising.

A visitation will be Friday, January 17, 2020, from 10:30 to 12:00 noon with the funeral service following at noon at Shades Mountain Community Church, 2281 Old Tyler Road, Birmingham, AL 35226. Bruce Peters and Drew Ramsey will be officiating. Interment will be at Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South – Hoover, AL.

In lieu of flowers and to honor of our Dad, who spent his life helping those in need– Give to someone in need today.