| Name |
Blynn Bennett Wilcox |
| Born |
10 Aug 1931 |
Mapleton, Aroostook County, Maine  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Group |
Descendant of Mayflower Passenger |
- Passenger or Descendant of the Mayflower
|
| Group |
Descendant of Revolutionary War Veteran |
- DAR or SAR Eligible Descendant of a Revolutionary War Veteran
|
| Group |
Mayflower - Dr. Samuel Fuller |
- Descendant of Dr. Samuel Fuller of the Mayflower
|
| Group |
Mayflower - Edward Doty |
- Descendant of Edward Doty of the Mayflower
|
| Group |
Mayflower - Francis Billington |
- Descendant of Francis Billington (son of John) of the Mayflower
|
| Group |
Mayflower - Francis Cooke |
- Descendant of Francis Cooke of the Mayflower
|
| Group |
Mayflower - Francis Eaton |
- Descendant of Francis Eaton of the Mayflower
|
| Group |
Mayflower - John Billington |
- Descendant of John Billington of the Mayflower
|
| Group |
Mayflower - Stephen Hopkins |
- Descendant of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower
|
| 1940 Census |
10 Apr 1940 |
Fairfield, Somerset County, Maine |
- ED 13-19A, Sheet 10A
Turner, Elmer F. Head M W 48 Md Maine 1935: Same Place Farm Hand - Farm
---, Crystal E. Wife F W 39 Md Maine "
---, Roger W. Son M W 13 S Maine "
---, Marguerite J. Dau F W 10 S Maine "
Wilcox, Mertie E. Moth-i-L F W 58 Wd Maine "
---, Blinn B. GSon M W 8 S Maine "
|
| Died |
26 Jul 2015 |
Soda Springs, Caribou County, Idaho |
| Obituary |
Aft 26 Jul 2015 |
- Blynn Bennett Wilcox, 83 of Soda Springs, passed away on July 26, 2015 at the Caribou Memorial Hospital. Over the last couple of years, whatever medical malady reared its ugly head, and there was a boatload, he always met it head on with a tough degree of resolve that was nothing short of inspiring.
Blynn was born in Mapleton, ME on August 10, 1931 the son of Cyril and Martha Craig Wilcox.
He spent time growing up in Maine and Washington D.C. He graduated from high school in Fairfield, ME. After high school he enlisted in the Navy where he served honorably as a Radioman 2nd Class on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Oriskany from Dec. of 1949 to Nov. 1953. He was awarded the Korea Service Ribbon, United Nations Medal, National Service Medal, and China Service Medal.
He married Karen Anne Shaw, his forever sweetheart, on May 28, 1954 in Sacramento, CA where they commenced to have four kids. Tracy their fifth child, SURPRISE, arrived 25 years after their first was born.
After getting married he worked various jobs including insurance salesman until he saw an ad that the Sacramento Police Department was hiring new recruits and thought he'd give that a try. It was there he found his calling. He served as a patrolman there for five years until July 1964. It was then that he had a strong desire to return to Maine having been away for 12 years and again sold insurance. After about a year, Richmond, Utah became home where Karen and family could be close to her mom, Pearle. He took a job at a sugar beet factory loading bags of sugar beets and was one of the last ones to be layed off because of his being able to outwork the youngsters.
In 1966 it was off to Soda Springs, Idaho where he again returned to what he was meant to do, that of being a cop. He served as patrolman and then Chief becoming the longest serving Chief of Police in the state of ID up to his retirement in 2000. During the first several years on the SSPD he also wore the additional hat of EMT and was instrumental in starting the EMT program in Caribou County. During his tenure as Chief he was invited to and completed the eleven week course at the FBI National Academy. He also served on the Idaho Peace Officers Standard and Training Council from April 1988 to April 2000 serving as Chairman from Jan. to Dec. 1990 and from May 1999 to April 2000. He was a member of the Idaho Peace Officers Association, served as president of the Idaho Chiefs of Police Association, and was a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Above all he was a family man. He was completely devoted to his family of brothers and sisters in uniform, but mostly he was devoted to his wife and kids and supported them through thick and thin no matter what the endeavor or life situation was at hand. He loved all his family, grandkids and great grandkids alike.
One role he took on in support of his family besides being a cop was that of Little League coach. He did this for several years to the point where 20 years later or so he'd run into somebody from time to time, usually at the store getting groceries who would greet him with a, "Hi Coach." He wouldn't know who they were immediately, and that was okay. He appreciated the sentiment.
Regardless of whether he was donning the hat of dad, chief, or coach, he would approach each of these challenges with a subtle, dry sense of humor that was very effective and sometimes a little dark. He liked to tell a joke, and the dark cop humor made it easier to navigate through some of the tough stuff. One knew they were in the presence of greatness when dad or the chief let fly with some of his brilliant wit, because the hysterics would surely ensue. Blynn was a no-nonsense kind of guy who has characterized himself as "one of the last autocrats." He was firm but very fair and very kind all at once, a unique combination that is rare but was most appreciated. He demonstrated his kindness by sometimes bringing home a struggling family for dinner or bringing home a teenage street kid, Rick who became part of the family for several years. He loved being in the out-of-doors often taking vacations to great places like Redfish Lake, Yellowstone, Oregon, and Disneyland. The weekends at Eight Mile were special. He loved fishing and camping and the trips to Granite Creek, WY for family get-togethers which are the basis for hundreds of good memories. Blynn was also a big backpacker and has passed his love for this activity to his kids and now his grandkids have picked it up. He was able to do this for 30 years completing his last trip at age 70 hiking down the Washington coast on the Olympic National Seashore where he would put his gloves on and say, "Time to cowboy up," and haul himself up a rope and over a headland pack and all.
He loved animals and at one time had a Chihuahua named Fearless who he would don with a sweater and take up some remote trail. Dog and man was a sight to behold. Once in camp Fearless would burrow down into the bottom of his sleeping bag and keep his feet warm all night. He completed trips in the Sawtooths, Greys River Range, Uintas, and even down in the Zion Narrows. But his favorite was the Winds. The Wind River Range was special for him, and he made some grand trips up into that high country over the years. He enjoyed sitting around the campfire at night partaking in a sip of the evening that usually involved something that was 12 years old. Once back out on the trail he would say, even if there was 12 miles to go, "Only one more mile." Well he finally did complete his last mile, and he did it with grace and dignity to the last.
Blynn was a member of the Presbyterian Church and past Elder.
He is survived by two sons and two daughters. Neil and Theresa Wilcox of Park City, UT; Scott and Karry Wilcox of Rock Springs, WY; Pam Brown of Soda Springs, ID and her fiancé John Seamons; and Tracy and Rich Finken of Lehi, UT. He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren and Buddy the dog.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, a son Keith Wilcox, and a son-in-law Royce Brown.
Services will be held on Friday July 31, 2015 at 11 a.m. at the LDS Stake Center at 290 South 3rd West in Soda Springs. The family will visit with friends on Thursday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Sims Funeral Home and on Friday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Church prior to services.
Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery.
|
| Person ID |
I8310 |
New England Hall Families Master Tree |
| Last Modified |
18 Sep 2019 |
1931 - 2015 (83 years)
