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Palmyra Eunice <I>Blackstone</I> Kimbrough

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Palmyra Eunice Blackstone Kimbrough

Birth
Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, USA
Death
2 Dec 2021 (aged 77)
Lathrop, San Joaquin County, California, USA
Burial
Cremated. Specifically: Cremated and ashes will be scattered among favorite places. Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Palmyra "Eunice" Kimbrough , 77, of Lathrop, California, transitioned peacefully to her heavenly home on December 2, 2021 at her daughter and son in law's home. Palmyra "Eunice" Blackstone entered this world as the third child born on July 26, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland to Rev. Richard Rolland Blackstone and Rev. Palmyra (Wilburn) Blackstone. Eunice's father the Rev. would later meet and marry the love of his life the former Mildred Barnes in New Jersey. Mrs. Mildred Blackstone would become a loving stepmother to Eunice and her two siblings.

Palmyra was affectionately known as "Eunice" or "Pam" and sometimes "Myra" by her closest family and friends. However, as a child she was affectionately called "Bay Bay" by her loving maternal grandparents the Rev. Theato Riley Wilburn Sr. and Maggie J. Jackson Wilburn. Her grandparents raised her and her two siblings on their farm in Severna Park, Maryland with their own children. Eunice would grow up on that farm house built by the ground up from Rev. Wilburn, a longshoreman and a preacher.

On the farm, Eunice would learn farm chores such as milking a cow, feeding chickens and hogs, gathering eggs, churning butter, making ice cream, washing clothes with the clothes board and bucket, and preparing meals. Monday through Friday Eunice and her siblings, her aunts Christine and Louella, cousins, and friends would walk the long dirt road to school until school bus services were available.

Eunice attended church service, tent revivals, and large family gatherings in Severna Park. Her loving, stern, and strict maternal grandparents Rev. Theato and Maggie migrated from Georgia around 1925 and had twenty-two children from their decades long union of love. Eunice's mother was the first born of the twenty two children!

Eunice and her older siblings Richard Jr. and Velma often spent time with their Blackstone family members in Howard County. Often their stepmother who they affectionately called "Mother Dear" Mildred and their father would visit. Rev. Richard Blackstone Senior, the son of Horace Blackstone Junior and Neda (Jackson) Blackstone was descended by free slaves on their paternal side. The United States Census Report lists Eunice's 4th Great Grandfather William Blackstone (born around 1789) as a free black man in every census report for each decade from 1840 to 1880. Through confirmed DNA testing, William Blackstone was confirmed to be the son and grandson of European descendants Ebenezer Blackiston/Blackstone Jr. and Ebenezer Blackiston/Blackstone Sr.

Eunice throughout her life became an intricate part in military life. She married the love of her life Jones A. Kimbrough and became a devoted Navy wife until their divorce. Yet, Eunice experience military life years prior to meeting Jones. Her father was a World War II Navy Veteran, and her brothers were Korean War, Vietnam Veterans, and peacetime Veterans. Palmyra was proud of her children's military service and her grandsons military service and her younger brothers military service. She wrote letters and sent boxes often to her family members during their training, mobilizations, and deployments. Moreover, Eunice had numerous family members that honorably served in every war, conflicts and capacities.

Unfortunately, Eunice did not know in her later life due to her dementia that her second great grandfather James Washington and third great grandfather William Washington served in the U. S. Civil War. William and James Washington were free men of prestige and well known barbers for politicians in the District of Columbia. James Washington who was Theato's grandfather, served in the Civil War with the 37th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry Troops under Company K, and the 2nd Regiment of the United States Colored Infantry.

Through DNA testing it was confirmed that Richard Washington, born around 1592 was Eunice's 10th great grandfather on her maternal grandmother's side. Through her maternal grandfather's line Richard Washington's brother, Lawrence Washington born around 1602 was proven through DNA to be Eunice's 9th great grandfather and George Washington her 5th great uncle our first President of the United States of America. Further DNA testing and results through the descendants of Rev. Theato Riley Wilburn Sr. and Maggie Jackson Wilburn have proven this family legacy. Eunice who celebrated every American holiday carried the DNA of notable individuals in American history. Yet, the most notable person in American history are the unknowns and the unsung heroes and heroines. Eunice was that unsung hero of the best in America through playing a vital role in the building of Silicon Valley in California and the expansion of Asbury Methodist Home in Maryland.

In the 1970s Eunice worked in semiconductor plants during the early days of Silicon Valley in California. As a young adult life in the 1960s, Eunice worked as a maid at Rutgers University, cleaned homes, and babysat her younger siblings in New Jersey. In the 1970s she also worked as a yard duty attendant at schools in the Bay Area. Palmyra would become a cherished and devoted CNA for the majority of her adult life with every patient cherishing her dedication and commitment to eldercare.

Palmyra was among the team of several workers who worked on semiconductors and soldering board frames during the early days of Silicon Valley. Three months after celebrating our nation's July 4, 1976 Two Hundredth Bicentennial with her family and our nation, Palmyra would survive a near fatal car accident during a family weekend drive to Monterey, California.

Eunice a devoted Christian who read her Bible daily and prayed in the morning and at night loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A social butterfly and fashionista attended church services in every faith with dear friends and family. She experience the days and joys of square dancing and discos, house parties with friends and family, bowling tournament wins, memorable vacations, and listening to music playing on a record player, tape or CD player. Her favorite pastime was collecting gorgeous brooches, watching westerns and soap operas, and eating bushels of Maryland Blue Crabs and her favorite part of the crab was the mustard. She loved buttermilk, ice cream, homemade soups and beans, roasted peanuts, roasted garlic, seafood, butter beans, bananas, Rotisserie Chicken, food from the Amish Market, and zero sugar colas or Pepsi. Eunice had a giving heart to family and friends and gave to several causes throughout her lifetime.

Eunice is survived by her loving and devoted daughter Joan E. Gandy, son in law Kennedy D. Gandy, granddaughter Kennedy J. Gandy, grandsons Charles M. Boswell Jr. (Tiziana) and Joshua E. Lewis (Adilene) and four great-grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by her loving and devoted aunts Rev. Louella Wilburn and Rev. Christine Lucas, special devoted cousins Margie Moon, Daryl R. Wilburn, Rev. Sandra Blackstone, and a special devoted family friend of several decades Mrs. Joann Miller. Additionally, Eunice leaves to mourn a son James T. Kimbrough, sisters Maxine Jennings and Janice Allen, and brothers Ralph Hills, Kenneth Blackstone and Roderick Blackstone, and a host of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her infant son Jason A. Kimbrough, parents Rev. Richard R. and Mildred Blackstone Sr., Rev. Palmyra Blackstone, sister Velma Pack, brothers Richard R. Blackstone Jr., Steven Blackstone Sr., devoted close friend Louis Frye Sr., and countless family and friends throughout her journey in life.

In accordance with Eunice's wishes, her ashes will be sprinkled among her requested places at a later date. An online video of a celebration of Eunice Kimbrough's life will be given at a later date.
Palmyra "Eunice" Kimbrough , 77, of Lathrop, California, transitioned peacefully to her heavenly home on December 2, 2021 at her daughter and son in law's home. Palmyra "Eunice" Blackstone entered this world as the third child born on July 26, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland to Rev. Richard Rolland Blackstone and Rev. Palmyra (Wilburn) Blackstone. Eunice's father the Rev. would later meet and marry the love of his life the former Mildred Barnes in New Jersey. Mrs. Mildred Blackstone would become a loving stepmother to Eunice and her two siblings.

Palmyra was affectionately known as "Eunice" or "Pam" and sometimes "Myra" by her closest family and friends. However, as a child she was affectionately called "Bay Bay" by her loving maternal grandparents the Rev. Theato Riley Wilburn Sr. and Maggie J. Jackson Wilburn. Her grandparents raised her and her two siblings on their farm in Severna Park, Maryland with their own children. Eunice would grow up on that farm house built by the ground up from Rev. Wilburn, a longshoreman and a preacher.

On the farm, Eunice would learn farm chores such as milking a cow, feeding chickens and hogs, gathering eggs, churning butter, making ice cream, washing clothes with the clothes board and bucket, and preparing meals. Monday through Friday Eunice and her siblings, her aunts Christine and Louella, cousins, and friends would walk the long dirt road to school until school bus services were available.

Eunice attended church service, tent revivals, and large family gatherings in Severna Park. Her loving, stern, and strict maternal grandparents Rev. Theato and Maggie migrated from Georgia around 1925 and had twenty-two children from their decades long union of love. Eunice's mother was the first born of the twenty two children!

Eunice and her older siblings Richard Jr. and Velma often spent time with their Blackstone family members in Howard County. Often their stepmother who they affectionately called "Mother Dear" Mildred and their father would visit. Rev. Richard Blackstone Senior, the son of Horace Blackstone Junior and Neda (Jackson) Blackstone was descended by free slaves on their paternal side. The United States Census Report lists Eunice's 4th Great Grandfather William Blackstone (born around 1789) as a free black man in every census report for each decade from 1840 to 1880. Through confirmed DNA testing, William Blackstone was confirmed to be the son and grandson of European descendants Ebenezer Blackiston/Blackstone Jr. and Ebenezer Blackiston/Blackstone Sr.

Eunice throughout her life became an intricate part in military life. She married the love of her life Jones A. Kimbrough and became a devoted Navy wife until their divorce. Yet, Eunice experience military life years prior to meeting Jones. Her father was a World War II Navy Veteran, and her brothers were Korean War, Vietnam Veterans, and peacetime Veterans. Palmyra was proud of her children's military service and her grandsons military service and her younger brothers military service. She wrote letters and sent boxes often to her family members during their training, mobilizations, and deployments. Moreover, Eunice had numerous family members that honorably served in every war, conflicts and capacities.

Unfortunately, Eunice did not know in her later life due to her dementia that her second great grandfather James Washington and third great grandfather William Washington served in the U. S. Civil War. William and James Washington were free men of prestige and well known barbers for politicians in the District of Columbia. James Washington who was Theato's grandfather, served in the Civil War with the 37th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry Troops under Company K, and the 2nd Regiment of the United States Colored Infantry.

Through DNA testing it was confirmed that Richard Washington, born around 1592 was Eunice's 10th great grandfather on her maternal grandmother's side. Through her maternal grandfather's line Richard Washington's brother, Lawrence Washington born around 1602 was proven through DNA to be Eunice's 9th great grandfather and George Washington her 5th great uncle our first President of the United States of America. Further DNA testing and results through the descendants of Rev. Theato Riley Wilburn Sr. and Maggie Jackson Wilburn have proven this family legacy. Eunice who celebrated every American holiday carried the DNA of notable individuals in American history. Yet, the most notable person in American history are the unknowns and the unsung heroes and heroines. Eunice was that unsung hero of the best in America through playing a vital role in the building of Silicon Valley in California and the expansion of Asbury Methodist Home in Maryland.

In the 1970s Eunice worked in semiconductor plants during the early days of Silicon Valley in California. As a young adult life in the 1960s, Eunice worked as a maid at Rutgers University, cleaned homes, and babysat her younger siblings in New Jersey. In the 1970s she also worked as a yard duty attendant at schools in the Bay Area. Palmyra would become a cherished and devoted CNA for the majority of her adult life with every patient cherishing her dedication and commitment to eldercare.

Palmyra was among the team of several workers who worked on semiconductors and soldering board frames during the early days of Silicon Valley. Three months after celebrating our nation's July 4, 1976 Two Hundredth Bicentennial with her family and our nation, Palmyra would survive a near fatal car accident during a family weekend drive to Monterey, California.

Eunice a devoted Christian who read her Bible daily and prayed in the morning and at night loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A social butterfly and fashionista attended church services in every faith with dear friends and family. She experience the days and joys of square dancing and discos, house parties with friends and family, bowling tournament wins, memorable vacations, and listening to music playing on a record player, tape or CD player. Her favorite pastime was collecting gorgeous brooches, watching westerns and soap operas, and eating bushels of Maryland Blue Crabs and her favorite part of the crab was the mustard. She loved buttermilk, ice cream, homemade soups and beans, roasted peanuts, roasted garlic, seafood, butter beans, bananas, Rotisserie Chicken, food from the Amish Market, and zero sugar colas or Pepsi. Eunice had a giving heart to family and friends and gave to several causes throughout her lifetime.

Eunice is survived by her loving and devoted daughter Joan E. Gandy, son in law Kennedy D. Gandy, granddaughter Kennedy J. Gandy, grandsons Charles M. Boswell Jr. (Tiziana) and Joshua E. Lewis (Adilene) and four great-grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by her loving and devoted aunts Rev. Louella Wilburn and Rev. Christine Lucas, special devoted cousins Margie Moon, Daryl R. Wilburn, Rev. Sandra Blackstone, and a special devoted family friend of several decades Mrs. Joann Miller. Additionally, Eunice leaves to mourn a son James T. Kimbrough, sisters Maxine Jennings and Janice Allen, and brothers Ralph Hills, Kenneth Blackstone and Roderick Blackstone, and a host of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her infant son Jason A. Kimbrough, parents Rev. Richard R. and Mildred Blackstone Sr., Rev. Palmyra Blackstone, sister Velma Pack, brothers Richard R. Blackstone Jr., Steven Blackstone Sr., devoted close friend Louis Frye Sr., and countless family and friends throughout her journey in life.

In accordance with Eunice's wishes, her ashes will be sprinkled among her requested places at a later date. An online video of a celebration of Eunice Kimbrough's life will be given at a later date.


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