Paul D. Blankenship, 78, of Baldwin City, KS, formerly of Topeka passed away on Tuesday, September 29, 2015. He was born on November 26, 1936 in Topeka, the son of Hylas “Buck” and Doris (Sloyer) Blankenship.

Paul graduated from Silver Lake High School in 1954. He was an Army, Navy and Marine Corps veteran. He went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1958 where he was employed for 35 years before retiring in 1991. He was a member of Fairlawn Heights Wesleyan Church, the Wesleyan World Missions, the Telephone Pioneers of America and served on the Board of Directors of the Shawnee County Amateur Baseball Association.

Paul married Nancy Brown on September 4, 1959 in Topeka. She survives. Other survivors include their children, Tim (Lisa) Blankenship of Grandview, MO, Terry (Renee) Blankenship of Topeka, Toni (Blankenship) (Rick) Hunter of Baldwin City, KS, Tom (Shannon) Blankenship of Topeka and Tonna Blankenship of Topeka, thirteen grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, one sister, Roberta (Raymond) Freed of Silver Lake, KS, one brother, Gerald (Joy) Blankenship of Silver Lake, KS and his sister-in-law, Carolyn Blankenship of Kansas City, KS.

Paul was preceded in death by his brother, Gale Blankenship.

Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, October 5, 2015 at Penwell-Gabel Southeast Chapel where the family will receive friends one hour prior to service time. Cremation will follow the service and private inurnment will take place at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.