Jeffery Todd Blackburn

At 11:08pm on Sunday, February 14, 2021, Jeffery Todd Blackburn passed away in his bed at Mercy Hospital. He was 61. Graveside services are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Monday, February 22, 2021, at the Memory Lane Cemetery of Harrah. The casket will be closed at all times but friends my pay their respects from 3-8 p.m. Sunday at Asa Smith Funeral Service of Harrah. Jeff was born to Gene and Allene Blackburn on July 13, 1959. Forever and always a son of Harrah, Jeff would go on to graduate from Harrah High School in 1977. After high school, things took off for Jeff. He began working at the Rainbo Baking Company (now Bimbo Baking Company) in Oklahoma City, OK, as an accounting clerk, where he would spend the next 40 years of his life before retiring in 2018. Shortly after joining the workforce, Jeff—with the help of his bright yellow Corvette—would meet his future wife, Lynnette. She would go on to stay by his side for the almost 40 year remainder of his life. In 1985, they had their first, and only, child, Colby. Jeff had a strong passion for seven things: his family; photography; collecting old coins, watches, knives, and guns (something he inherited from his father, Gene); and watching his reality TV. Jeff frequently went to gun and coin shows on the weekends, always excited to tell the family about his “amazing finds” when he returned home. Being an avid photographer, Jeff found any excuse at all to take pictures of the people and the world around him. If he had been given enough film, there’s no doubt he would have been able to create a wall of pictures that could be seen from even the furthest reaches of outer space. And when the days were over and the evenings came, he couldn’t get enough of his History and Discovery Channel reality shows, especially The Curse of Oak Island (he was positive they’d found the treasure already and were just wanting to make more seasons). For all his activities, Jeff was primarily a man of peace and relaxation. The mountains and fresh air called to him on a regular basis; and Colorado was his sanctuary for two weeks every year. During the summer, he would migrate to the state with his family for some much needed downtime. He would go to the top of Pikes Peak and soak in every bit of the view. He would ride the train in Durango, snapping pictures every second of the way. He boldly hiked up the mountains in Vail and Breckenridge, only stopping to eat a sandwich and pick up his injured son, whom he would carry thousands of vertical feet down a rocky trail. And at the end of every trip, he would slow things down by fly fishing and animal watching with his family in his favorite place, Estes Park. From “Wild Hogging” across the state on his motorcycle (a.k.a. the Cruiser) with Leo and Paul to exuberantly riling himself up with his friend, Jerome, in their daily chats about the most random and off-the-wall topics, Jeff lived life on his terms; and he wouldn’t have had it any other way. Above all else, he was fearless and unwavering when it came to taking care of his family and his friends. Jeff wasn’t the most patient of men, and he wasn’t the most graceful of men. He wasn’t a Nobel Prize winner or some great philanthropist; and he never had to be. He was a beloved husband, father, and friend to all; and that’s all he ever needed to be. It is with a heavy, yet happily-contented, heart that we send off Jeffery Todd Blackburn—father, husband, and friend—into the endlessly magnificent mountain roads of the great unknown, armed with only his camera, the Cruiser, and his gumption. Know that you are much loved and will be missed, and we can’t wait to see you again someday. Jeff is survived by his wife of 39 years, Lynnette; his sister Debbie; son Colby and his fiancée Erin; niece Stephanie and her husband Tony; nephews Lance and Brett and their wives Danielle and Chelsey, respectively; nephew Bradley; and his dog Yogi. Arrangements are being made through the Asa Smith Funeral Service of Harrah. Online condolences may be made at www.asasmith.net