02-11-13 – Henry F. Schricker Award Winner Dies
By Anita Goodan
The newly-named Henry F. Schricker Award winner has died.
Gene Blastic suffered through the effects of cancer treatment to attend the Schricker Award dinner on Jan. 17 to accept this prestigious honor. He passed away Friday night.
Blastic was honored for his “service before self” attitude and was active in many community programs including the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, Starke United, Starke County Chamber of Commerce, Starke County Right to Life, and countless others.
Blastic was president of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board for two years, having been a member for more than 10 years, and was nominated volunteer of the year for Starke United in 2003. Blastic was also recognized as the Older Hoosier of the Year in 2009 by the board of Community Services of Starke County in recognition of his lifetime of service to improve the quality of life in the community.
In recent years, he spearheaded talks about improving the status of downtown Knox.
Visitation will be Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 4 until 8 p.m. at M.C. Smith Funeral Home, with a wake service at 8 p.m.
A rosary service will be Thursday, Feb. 14 at 9 a.m. at the funeral home, prior to a 10 a.m. funeral mass at at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
Burial will take place at the Rose Lawn Cemetery on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 12:30 p.m.
