Kenneth Lucas Blackhurst

Kenneth L. Blackhurst, 97 of Devils Lake, ND passed away on Saturday, April 23, 2011 at the Good Samaritan Center, Devils Lake. Funeral Services for Kenneth will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Roger Leonhardt officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in the Devils Lake Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday beginning at 9:00 a.m. until time of service at the funeral home. Kenneth Lucus was born in Manchester, England in the United Kingdom on May 14, 1913, the son of David and Ada (Winter) Blackhurst. Kenneth and his brother Roy were both born deaf. He was reared and educated in Bolton, England, attending the Thommason Memorial School for the Deaf and Blind for 12 years. He continued his education and became a Dental Mechanic and worked in that profession until 1950. He then was the Assistant Superintendent for Bolton, Leigh and District Deaf Society for seven years. This position involved looking after about 250 deaf adults-visiting their homes, running parties, giving church services, advising them with regard to their problems, distributing pensions, etc. In 1958, Kenneth made his way to the United States and arrived in San Francisco in March and began a job as a Dental Technician for several months. He then became a dormitory counselor at the North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton, North Carolina for two years and then in 1962 he accepted the position as a dormitory counselor/house parent at the North Dakota School for the Deaf in Devils Lake. He was employed for 23 years at NDSD and retired in 1984. This however did not end his work with the deaf. For a time he operated a candy shop at the NDSD that was open evenings where young students would stop by and chat and buy penny candy treats. In 1984 the current boy’s dormitory was dedicated to honor Kenneth Blackhurst and his long years of service at the NDSD and was named Blackhurst Dorm. His work as a dormitory counselor and volunteer work with the deaf spanned 62 plus years. Kenneth was a member of the Episcopal Church, North Dakota Association of the Deaf and National Association of the Deaf. He was an avid reader and also enjoyed hiking and biking. While at the School for the Deaf he also repaired hundreds of bikes for residents and staff. Kenneth’s motto in life was, “Thy will, not mine, I go forth whatever happens.” Kenneth is survived by his brother, Roy Blackhurst of Lytham, England; sister-in-law Valerie Blackhurst of Lancashire, England and niece Margaret Scofield also of Lancashire.