Obituary of Bobbye Gene Livingston Blevins

Bobbye L. Blevins, 86, of Kannapolis, NC, passed peacefully at the Virginia Veterans Care Center November 9, 2020 in Roanoke, VA.

Born in Lynch, Kentucky on February 20, 1934, she attended local Harlan County schools and graduated in 1952 from Cumberland High School, Cumberland, Kentucky. Soon after graduation Bobbye joined the United States Air Force, and while assigned to Pope Air Force Base, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, she met and married another Air Force service member Billy J. Blevins on August 1, 1953. Bobbye completed her Air Force service in 1954 and together they raised four children while her husband continued serving in the Air Force.

Bobbye and Bill frequently relocated to duty stations stateside and overseas. She raised four children on her own for weeks or months at a time when Bill deployed on remote military assignments. Air Force duty assignments where the family relocated included Bedford, Virginia; Arlington, Virginia; Cape Canaveral, Florida; Alcoy, Spain; Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Gettysburg, South Dakota;  and Homestead, Florida. Upon her husband’s military retirement in 1968 at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, she worked for a number of years for Southern Bell Telephone. In 1977 the family relocated to Marion, Virginia and then to Saltville, Virginia. In the early 1990’s, Bobbye and Bill moved to Kannapolis, North Carolina where they lived until 2017.

Bobbye was an avid gardener, reader and staunch supporter of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, often giving of her time and energy to help whomever and whenever she could. She loved animals, especially hummingbirds and owls.  She was a great cook and loved teaching the grandchildren how to prepare some of her favorite meals.

Survivors include her beloved children William Joseph Blevins (Colleen), of Mount Vernon, WA; daughter Rebecca Gail Archer of Mount Gilead, NC; Randall Eugene Blevins (Sharon) of Roanoke, VA; grandchildren Karen Marie Gustavson (Eric); Chris Archer (Lori); Maegan Archer, Christina LaPerle, Kimberly Blevins, William Blevins and six great grandchildren; nieces, nephews, and other beloved relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Joe Blevins, her son Robert Jeffrey Blevins; sisters, Louise Herrington and Lounette King; and parents Herbert and Janett Woliver Livingston.

A graveside service with military honor guard will be held at 2:00 p.m. December 10, 2020 at the Salisbury National Cemetery, Salisbury, NC. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in her memory. Simpson Funeral Home, Roanoke, VA is assisting the family.

The family would especially like to thank the Virginia Veterans Care Center for the thoughtful care and support they provided.