Melvin Lee Blackwell 80 2900 Harmon's Quarter Road Prosperity died Friday October 10 2003 at the Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia. Mr. Blackwell was born on January 16 1923 in Cheraw County a son of the late C. B. and Lillian Coy Newman Blackwell. He was a retired overseer of the Card Room at Newberry Mills. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of West End Baptist Church. Mr. Blackwell is survived by his wife Ila Hamilton Blackwell of the home; four daughters and sons-in-law Johnnie and Henry Umphlet of Fayetteville NC Neena and Gene Saunders of Prosperity Kathy and Roxy Crawford and Joan and Henry Pennington both of Saluda; a sister Irene Kennington of Cheraw; three brothers Irvin Blackwell of Cheraw C. B. Blackwell and William "Bill" Blackwell both of Lancaster; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Melvin Lee Blackwell will be conducted at 3:00 P. M. Sunday at the Whitaker Funeral Home by the Rev. Larry Deeter. Interment will be in Newberry Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 2:00 to 2:45 P. M. Sunday at the Whitaker Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to West End Baptist Church PO Box 906 Newberry SC 29108. Active pallbearers will be Christian Ouzts David Moore John Flynn Thomas Brooks Mike Umphlet Jeff Umphlet Paul Barton and Jacob Black. Messages to the family may be sent via email to notes@whitakerfuneralhome.com. Whitaker Funeral Home 1704 College Street Newberry SC is assisting the family.