Eleanor Graves Blackburn, 86, of Beaumont passed away on August 2, 2008, after a spirited fight against multiple physical problems. She was born September 19, 1921 in McNary, Louisiana and was raised in Glenmora, Louisiana. She and her now-deceased husband, James Bernard Blackburn, lived in Harlingen, Texas from 1950 to 1969 and in Lafayette, Louisiana from 1969 to 2006. She had lived in Beaumont for the last two years taking great pleasure in her flower garden.

She is survived by her daughter Ann Graves Blackburn and John Morelock of Beaumont and her son Jim Blackburn and his wife Garland Kerr of Houston. Also surviving her is brother William "Bill" B. Graves of Port Neches and his daughter Nancy Rendall and her husband Geoff Rendall of Orange, Texas and his son Charles Graves and his wife Tammy Graves of Port Neches, Texas, numerous Blackburn nephews and nieces, brother-in-law Charles Blackburn and wife Artie, sister-in law Polly Rhodes and husband Harold, sister-in-law Kitty Blackburn, and brother-in-law, Clyde Carruth.

Eleanor was a retired English teacher who was ever-helpful on the proper use of lie and lay. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Lafayette where she thoroughly enjoyed her Sunday School class and classmates. She was a graduate of Louisiana State University, a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and a die-hard Tiger Fan.

Due to weather conditions funeral services have been changed and will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 9, 2008 at Claybar Kelley Watkins Funeral Home in Beaumont with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. until time of the service. Burial and graveside service will be at 3:30 p.m. at Old Glenmora Cemetery in Glenmora, Louisiana.