Diamond Blakeney Jr.

CLARKTON, Mo. -- Diamond W. Blakeney Jr., 91, passed away Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Mobile, Ala. He resided at the Gulfport, Miss., Armed Forces Retirement Home and had many good friends there.

At 91 years of age, he prided himself on living independently and was able to accomplish that at the AFRH. He took his first class to learn to master the iPad four days before his death.

Diamond was born in Clarkton to Diamond W. Blakeney and Roxie Henson Mitchell, and had a lively childhood shared with four siblings, David Blakeney, Marabelle Sams, Max Mitchell and Betty Gunn, all of whom preceded him in death.

Diamond's family owned a traveling zoo, and one of his favorite anecdotes was the retelling of the time he took his prized spider monkey, Bilbo, to school.

He joined the Royal Canadian Navy at a young age and later enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in which he served numerous tours overseas during and after World War II and was a decorated veteran.

Diamond was a lifelong boat captain, piloting the Mississippi River and the waterways from Texas to Florida.

He was married 43 years to Patricia Marsh Blakeney, who also preceded him in death. Capt. Dia and Patty Lou had made their home in Long Beach, Miss., since 1967, where they were active in civic organizations, including Long Beach VFW, Gulfport American Legion and Gulfport/Biloxi BPOE. They loved to travel and spent many trips enjoying the company of their fellow Good Sam motor home club members.

Diamond loved sports, his favorite teams being the St. Louis Cardinals and New Orleans Saints. He also enjoyed music, especially the big band sounds of the 1940s and drum and bugle corps, sharing that love with three generations.

Diamond is survived by four children, Terri Blakeney (Jeffrey Melton) and Gregg (Kathy) Blakeney of Raymond, Miss., Carla (Eddy) Holland of Broadlands, Va., and Sharon (Jack) Cordray of Gulfport; six grandchildren, Charley (Paige) Holland, Christa Holland, Lauren Blakeney, Anna Blakeney, Shane Cordray and Nikki Cordray; two great-grandchildren, Noah and Zoe Holland; five nephews; and four nieces.

A graveside service will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the National Cemetery in Biloxi, Miss.

Diamond never met a dog he did not like, and the family requests any memorials be sent to the Humane Society of South Mississippi, 2615 25th Ave., Gulfport, MS 39501 or www.hssm.org.

Riemann Family Funeral Home in Gulfport assisted the family with arrangements.

Tributes may be offered at www.riemannfamily.com.