James Thomas Blasingame

JAMES THOMAS BLASINGAME, age 76, Husband, Father, FBI Agent, and Runner
Jim passed away on August 14, 2012 at age 76. He was born December 18, 1935 in Greensboro, Georgia, the son of the late Thomas Earl and Georgia Agnes Gober Blasingame. His sister, Ann Blasingame Corry, preceded him in death. He joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1954, and graduated from Benjamin Franklin University, Washington, DC, in 1958 with an accounting degree. After training at the FBI Academy he served as a Special Agent in Buffalo and New York City, NY; Monterey, CA; Washington, DC; San Juan, PR; and Newark, NJ. He later held supervisory positions with the FBI in Washington, DC; Atlanta, GA; Louisville, KY; and Little Rock, AR, where he ended his 32-year career as the Special Agent in Charge for the state of Arkansas. One of his specialties was conducting background checks on officials selected for appointment to high federal positions.
Mr. Blasingame did the background checks on U.S. Rep. Gerald R. Ford (R-Mich.) before he was appointed vice president in 1973 and on former New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller before he was named Ford's vice president in 1974. He subsequently served as a Special Investigator with the First Union Bank, and as Manager of Investigations, Georgia-Pacific Corporation.
He was associated with the LAD Truck Lines in Watkinsville, GA and was a private investigator for a number of years thereafter.
Jim ran the 10K Peachtree Road Race 36 consecutive years starting in 1975. He ran four marathons in Texas (2), Arkansas and Tennessee in the 1980s. Over the past thirty years he averaged running 30 miles each week, and participated in numerous races each year. He played football for Greensboro High School and was its captain in his senior year. He was also President of his senior class and always enjoyed arranging their class reunions for a number of years.
He was known for his presence, warmth, generosity, sense of humor, integrity, and for being there for people when they needed him.
He was a member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI (Atlanta chapter president in 1991), FBI Academy Associates, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, American Society for Industrial Security, and the Athens First United Methodist Church, where he was a past Treasurer. He was a board member of the Athens Touchdown Club, and Security Director of the UGA Football Lettermen's Club.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Alma Lanter Blasingame; his son, James T. Blasingame, II, his wife, Rebecca Ann, Dallas, GA; and a daughter, Rhonda B. McClure, Watkinsville, GA, as well as granddaughter, Ellen Christine McClure; grandson, Andrew Lee McClure; and granddaughters, Stephanie Wilson (Robert) and Brandee Wilken (Chris) and great grandsons, Aidan and Ellison Wilken. The family will gather at Lord & Stephens West, located at 1211 Jimmy Daniel Rd., Bogart, GA 30622 on Thursday, August 16th from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. to receive friends and relatives. Funeral services are planned for Friday, August 17th at 1 P.M. at the Athens First United Methodist Church, 327 N. Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30601.
Interment at Oconee Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Society of Former FBI Agents Foundation, 3717 Fettler Park Drive, Dumfries, Virginia 22025, the FBI Agents Association Memorial College Education Fund, P. O. Box 250, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Athens First United Methodist Church, 327 N. Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30601 and/or St. Mary's Hospice House, Bogart, GA.
The family would like to thank the wonderful employees at Athens Regional Medical Center and Northeast Georgia Cancer Care, in Athens, GA, and the wonderful hospice care provided by St. Mary's Hospice House in Bogart, GA.