EIGHTH GENERATION

496. George Barner BLESSING Sr. was born on 16 Feb 1900 in Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pa.. He died on 16 Sep 1986 in Camp Hill, Pa.. He has descendant number 1-9-5-13-1-7. He was buried in Rolling Green Cemetery, Camp Hill, Pa.. He was ill with stroke.
Picture of George Barner Blessing, Sr. and family l to r standing: John M., George B.Jr., Doris J. (holding her son Richard Blessing) Maryellen, Karl Wolf (husband of Maryellen)
l to r sitting: Paula (wife of George B. Jr.) holding son Michael, George B. Sr., wife Martha A. Hatfield, Joanne (wife of John M.)

George Barner Blessing, Sr., was the seventh and last child of Marion Blessing and Ida Knight. He was born at 630 Hamilton Street, Harrisburg, Pa. George met his wife to be at a baseball game being played at the ball field beside the Shamrock Fire Company at 15th and Herr Streets in Harrisburg, Pa. Martha was born Aug. 25, 1903 on Bailey Street, Harrisburg, Pa. to John D. Hatfield and Mary Catherine Arnold. In earlier years, George worked as a messenger at Bethlehem Steel, apprentice machinist for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and American Tool and Die Co., and pipefitter for Gulf Oil Corp. before
becoming a plant manager for Gulf in 1936.

George and Martha lived first on Market Street, Harrisburg (1925-26), Simpson Street, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (1926-27), Boas Street, Harrisburg (1927-61) and 7 Hunter Lane, Camp Hill from 1961 until George's death in 1986. Martha continues to live at the same address with her daughter, Doris Jean Blessing and her son Richard Blessing. (1994)

George was a Republican, active in politics, and a member of Shamrock Volunteer Fire Company located at 15th and Herr Streets, Harrisburg, Pa. During World War II he served as an Air Raid Warden and was active in other civil defense activities. An Air Raid Warden patroled his assigned area to be sure no light could be seen from the air, thus
impairing enemy air craft from seeing a target.

For recreation he enjoyed a good game of Pinochle with friends and relatives on Friday nights. He also collected postage stamps. He had to give up both of these activities in his 80th year due to failing eyesight. In May 1984 he suffered a stroke which left him a partial invalid and totally blind. During the next year he had several minor strokes which made him bedfast. He died in Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania in 1986.

The above information was supplied by his son George B. Blessing, Jr. 1-9-5-13-1-7-2

He was married to Martha Aldrich HATFIELD (daughter of John D. HATFIELD and Mary Catherine ARNOLD) on 19 Feb 1925 in Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pa.. Martha Aldrich HATFIELD was born on 25 Aug 1903 in Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., Pa.. She died on 24 Jan 1995 in Camp Hill, Pa.. George Barner BLESSING Sr. and Martha Aldrich HATFIELD had the following children:

+723 i. Doris Jean BLESSING.
+724 ii. George Barner BLESSING Jr..
+725 iii. John Marion BLESSING Sr..
+726 iv. Maryellen Hatfield BLESSING.

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