Charles Comar Blanchard

Charles Comar Blanchard, Sr., 74, husband of Clara Elizabeth "Betty" Farmer Blanchard, formerly of Mt. Pleasant, and most recently of Charleston, SC passed away on Tuesday, February 1, 2011.  The relatives and friends of Charles Blanchard are invited to attend his Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, February 4, 2011 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church at 11:00 a.m.  Prayers of Final Commendation and Farewell will follow in Mt. Pleasant Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at J. HENRY STUHR MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL Thursday, February 3, 2011 from 6:00 until 8:30 p.m.  The rosary will be recited at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Blanchard was born on August 8, 1936 in Charleston, South Carolina, son of the late Claude Wright Blanchard, Sr. and Helena Igoe Blanchard.  He graduated from Bishop England High School in 1955 and Belmont Abbey College in 1959.  He was a member of the Battling Bishops from 1954-1955 undefeated football teams, a member of the golf team and sang in the glee club. He came from a construction family - grandfather and father.  He grew up at the family residence on Fenwick Hall Plantation, and later resided there with his own family for nine years. He worked with his father's construction business, C.W. Blanchard, Inc. as a field superintendent from 1959 until 1975. He supervised projects including St. Matthew's Church Steeple, Blessed Sacrament Church, old Bishop England Annex, Charleston County Office Building, Charleston Police Station, Coastal Center in Ladson and two buildings at Ashley Hall. After his father's business closed in 1975, he started his own construction company, Charles C. Blanchard Construction Corporation, of which he was owner and president until his retirement in 2002.  His company is now being run by a fourth generation Blanchard, his son, Michael.  During the years he did many renovations and repairs to some of Charleston's most famous landmarks and he was on the approved list to do historic restorations by the SC Department of Archives and Preservation. Some of the many renovations he managed were St. Philip's Church Tea Room, St. Philip's Parish Hall, St. Philip's Rectory, Our Lady of Mercy Church fire damage repairs, Governor Thomas Bennett House, Meeting Street Suites, Indiantown Presbyterian Church, Old Citadel, Marion Square, The McBee House Ashley Hall School, U.S. Customs House, Gibbes Art Gallery, Huntington Island Historic Light House, #5 St. Michael's Alley, Cathedral of St. John The Baptist, The Rice Mill at Middleton Plantation, the Old Slave Market, Aiken Rhett House, Miles Brewton House, St. Michael's Church, St. Matthew's Church, Edisto Island Presbyterian Church, St. James Santee Episcopal Church Dock Street Theatre, sandblasting and restoring Stella Maris Catholic Church to its original state.  He was awarded the Coraopolis Award for the renovations to the residence of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Charleston.  He had many hobbies, one of which was boating, and he prided himself in having built his own 26 foot outboard motor boat.  He also loved golf, which he played as often as possible, as well as singing and fixing anything that no one else could.  He had a beautiful tenor voice and was trained by the world renowned Madam Blanche Barbot.  He originally sang with the Old St. Joseph's Choir and later with the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist for many years.  He was in demand to sing for weddings and funerals throughout the years.  He sang with the Charleston Choral Society until he helped found the Charleston Opera Company and was its first President. He sang operettas and operas including "The Student Prince," "The Chocolate Soldier," "Dido and Aeneas," and "Pagliacci."  He was the Democratic Party Executive Committee man in Mt. Pleasant for 33 years, and lined up all the elections in Mt. Pleasant for 33 years, never missing a one.  He loved working the polls and talking with people.  He never met a stranger and never turned down anyone who needed help. Mr. Blanchard is survived by his wife of 53 years, Clara Elizabeth "Betty" Farmer Blanchard, originally of Goldsboro, NC, whom he met while a student at Belmont Abbey College and she was a student nurse at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte. They married in April of 1958. He is also survived by sons, Charles Comar Blanchard, Jr., Michael Garland Blanchard (Beth), Mark Patrick Blanchard, Regan Igoe Blanchard (Patricia) and a daughter Joan Elizabeth "JoBeth" Blanchard Perot (Christopher). He was preceded in death by his beloved fourth son, Kevin Wright Blanchard.  Surviving also are 12 grandchildren, Charles C. Blanchard, III (Grace), Garland and Parker Blanchard, Amanda, Holly, Heidi and Cassie Blanchard, Gerald (Trey) Wade, III and Riley Wade, step-grandson, Christopher Perot, Jr., Regan and Elizabeth Blanchard,  and great-granddaughter Morgaine Blanchard.  He is also survived by his only sister, Helena Blanchard McKay Vivona (Dominic), a brother, David M.(Linda) Blanchard, daughter-in-law, Becky (Kevin) Blanchard, sisters-in-law, Mary and Kathy  Blanchard; Nancy Keck (Harold) and Mary Sullivan (Wayne) both of Goldsboro, NC, brother-in-law, Ben Farmer (Julia) of Savannah, GA and also many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, also with scores of wonderful life-long friends.  He was preceded in death by his parents Claude and Helena Blanchard, his brothers, Claude, Jr., Ned, Robert, Paul, and his brother-in-law, Fred McKay. The family requests that memorials be made to Bishop England High School, Athletic Department (Attn. Kate Wartner), 363 Seven Farms Road, Charleston, SC  29492 or Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 5 Saint Teresa Drive, Charleston, SC  29407 or to a charity of one's choice. .