Page 9 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2018- Online Magazine

adopt the abandoned child. Joe was skeptical because and “is a great cook”. The two don’t do everything
they already had a special needs child, but they drove to together, but they “always try to make each other
Amarillo anyway. After seeing the nine-month-old baby, happy.” They often do their own thing during the day
who was very sick at the time, adopting him seemed but come together at night. They both still enjoy dancing.
like a bad idea. Joe asked, “If we don’t take him, Father, In fact, they were named the King and Queen of the 2018
what will happen to him?” “He’ll have to go to the South Plains Home Care Association Silver Senior Prom.
orphanage,” the priest answered. “Put him in the car,” “She’s a great gal,” according to Joe. “For two people
Joe said, and baby Chris was added to the family. who have so little in common, they make their marriage
work,” notes daughter Pam. Quoting a line from a
Joe worked for Traveler’s Insurance for 30 years and “Friends” episode, Pam added, “Mother is very high
later with Allstate for 11 years. Ellie said he was a hard maintenance, but Dad likes maintaining her.”
worker, often working two jobs to provide for the
family, but because he was on the road so much, she Joe went on to say, “She’s very loving. Her presence is
had to work hard also, keeping things together on the very important to me.” Ellie added, “I fell in love with
home front. They were able to keep Paul at home until him - and stayed. He’s a good man.” The couple has had
he grew too big for her to manage. Both Joe and Ellie plenty of tragedies, but they’ve been able to grow and
were extremely grateful when the Lubbock State School thrive because of their “belief in the Lord”. “We’re not
opened. Paul was the 41st resident to move in, and the perfect. We are who we are,” Joe says. He has recently
Blackwoods have nothing but good things to say about been diagnosed with Parkinson’s but is combatting it
the facility, now called the Lubbock State Supported with a new love, boxing. Right Cross Boxing in Lubbock
Living Center. Although their son is tremendously has classes specifically for people suffering from the
handicapped, Joe and Ellie know he is happy. disease. The power of prayer figures prominently in their
lives, and Ellie, who recently suffered a stroke, says, “I
At 84, the couple enjoys all four of their children, six pray for him every night.” They each give the other a
grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. In lot of grace, and a lot of credit, and the fruit of that is a
addition, Joe and Ellie have been able to take some loving and lasting marriage.
memorable trips. Chris, who now lives in Sweden, is a
successful engineer, maintaining cell phone towers as
far away as Australia. The Blackwoods were able to visit
him and his family when they lived in Paris. Ellie also
loved their trip to Italy where her family, the Sabatinis, Save The Date!
originated. Their daughters have both had long careers
in education - Debbie in McKinney and Pam, who
recently retired from Lubbock Cooper ISD. SILVER SENIOR

“One thing about Joe,” Ellie commented. “He can’t sit
idle.” He has had several hobbies, including hunting,
training bird dogs and raising homing pigeons. He loves PROM April
the outdoors. Joe also enjoys when his old buddies come
to town for Texas Tech football games. Ellie is more of a 2019 SOUTH PLAINS
HOME CARE ASSOCIATION
homebody. She cleans, pulls weeds, shops estate sales

Lubbock Senior Link 9