K4IOE - 9 July, 2003

Casey Richard Blonaisz
Columbia, SC

QCWA # 18641

Service for Casey Richard Blonaisz, 76, will be held Friday at 1pm at the First Presbyterian Chirch with burial in the Douglas Mill Cemetery, Patrick, at 4pm. Visitation will be Friday at noon in Jackson Hall at the church. Dunbar Fumeral Home, devine Street Chapel, is in charge.

Mr Blonaisz died Wednesday, July 9, 2003. Born in Chicago, IL, he was the son of the late John Leonard Blonaisz and Mary Agnes Mateja Blonaisz Koval and stepson of the late Fred Koval.

A vetern of World War II, he served in the US Coast Guardon the USS Falgout, DE 3224. From the University of South Carolina, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1950 and a Master of Education Administration in 1952. He also completed post-graduate work.

Mr. Blonaisz serves as principal of Cheraw Elementary School, Cheraw; Congree Elementary School, West Columbia; and Dentsville Elementary School, Columbia from 1952-57. He represented Random House Publishing Co. as a textbook field representative in the southeast from 1957-67. He served as assistant principal of the W.J. Keenan Junior High School, Columbia, 1967-69. He was Director of Continuning Education for the Health Services Department at Midlands Technical College, Columbia, 1969-76. He was health planner for the Midlands area with Three Rivers Central Midlands Planning Council 1976-82. Hw was professor and director of The Frank L. Roddey Small Business Development Center of South Carolina in the School of Business at USC 1982-86.

Mr. Blonaisz was an avid amateur radio enthusiast and was known by his call sign "K4IOE." He received a Certifice of Merit for operating a net control station for the SC Emergency Phone Net during Hurricaane Helen in 1958. He serves as a board member if the Selective Service System, Region II 1981-91.

Mr Blonaisz was a longtime sports enthusiast, enjoying golf, fishing and Gamecock football and basketball. He also enjoyed hobbies of computers, model trains and woodworking.

Mr,Blonaisz was a member of First Presbyterian Church and a ruling elder, deacon and Sunday School teacher at Covenant Presbyterian Church and Patrick Presbyterian Church, Patrick.

Surviving are daughter, Nancy Blonaisz Thompson and granddaughter, Christine Elizabeth Thompson, both of Columbia; nephew and Godson, John A. Blonaisz, nieces, Leona Bloniasz Gaspar and Kathy Blonaisz Serpico, all of Chicago,IL; nieces Barbara Young Morrison and Kathy Young Rowland, both of Columbia; brother-in-law, and sister-in-law, J. Douglas and Ruth McNair of Columbia. He was predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Christine McNail Blonaisz; brothers and sisters-in-law, Loenard J. and Caroline Bloniasz and Edward C. and June Bloniasz; brother-in-law and sister=in-law, C. Eben and Gladys Young.

During Mr Blonaisz's extgended illness, he and his family were vary grateful for the state-of-the-art care provided by Drs. William H. Babcock, Barlett Witherspoon and Ben Wright; the staff at Palmentto Health Hospice and Palmetto Heaalth Baptist Mediacl Center; and special friends, Beulah Hammond, Annie Ruth Gardner and Jackis Steen.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Palmetto Health Hospice.