Walter Allen Blessing

A Tribute to W. A. “Dub” Blessing

Walter Allen Blessing, “Daddy” to one, “Allen” to family and “Dub” to friends, died Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at The Carlyle Rehabilitation Center in Southlake, Texas. He was 89 years and 1 day old. He was a son, brother, husband, father, uncle, great uncle, great-great uncle, teacher and friend to many. He was a soldier once and young. He was an aviator, carpenter, electrician, jet engine mechanic, plumber…, a man of many talents and areas of knowledge.
The eldest child of Will Allen and Ruth Blessing was born on January 22nd, 1935, in Fort Worth, Texas. The Blessing home was on the Northside of Fort Worth. The summer between Dub’s middle school and high school year the family moved to Haltom City where his father established W.A. Blessing & Son Plumbing. He attended Birdville High School and played the drums in the marching band. After graduating high school in 1952, Dub attended Arlington State College majoring in pre-veterinary studies and once again played the drums in the marching band.
Dub was a depression baby although to hear him reminisce about his childhood he never lacked for anything. The family was rich in all things that truly mattered. They worshipped at Trinity Methodist Church while living on the Northside and St. Luke’s Methodist after the move to Haltom City. Dub worked in the plumbing shop with his dad learning the business and the tools of the trade. The duo was active in the Boy Scouts and DeMolay where it was instilled in Dub to serve others and do his part to make this world better. He learned self-sufficiency and hard work which would serve him well as a Marine and in the fulfillment of his childhood dream of becoming an aviator.
Dub served his country in the United States Marine Corps as a jet engine mechanic in the 2nd Marine Air Wing from 1953 to 1961. In addition, he earned the distinction of expert marksman while in the Corp. In 1954 he married his high school sweetheart Mary Kathryn Moline and in December 1960 their daughter Elizabeth was born.
Because of a happenstance meeting with his college roommate in Mineral Wells, TX, Dub obtained a slot in helicopter flight training. He began flight training just two days before his 30th birthday, the age limit cut-off for entry into flight school. He utilized the Warrant Officer Candidate program to complete helicopter flight training with the 149th Aviation Battalion of the Texas National Guard reaching the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, Second Class. He joined the flight staff of Southern Airways of Texas, the civilian contractor of the United States Army Primary Helicopter Training Center at Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas. During his tenure there, he was chosen to work with the United States Military Academy Program and instructed in the first flight classes made up solely of Vietnamese students. He achieved the company’s flight safety awards and received a special letter of commendation from the Base Commander and the General Manager of Southern Airways. The commendation was given for a difficult autorotational landing after a rod failure in the engine of his TH-55 helicopter. The landing site was a mountain road with a 30-degree incline. There were no injuries to the occupants nor damage to the aircraft. Dub maintained his safety record of no injury to occupants or damage to aircraft during three more engine failures.
After the closing of the Training Center at Fort Wolters, Dub revisited his animal husbandry roots by accepting a feed and supplement marketing position with Moorman Mfg. Co., of Quincy, IL. He used the time from November 1973 until December 1978 to improve his sales and marketing skill. Ironically his territory was Tarrant, Johnson, and Denton counties where he became the feed supplier and friend to many landowners whose land is now Alliance Texas.
Dub returned to his true calling in December 1978 accepting a position from Don Harvey as ground school and flight instructor with Jet Fleet Corporation of Dallas. He later became the Helicopter Division Manager and negotiated the transition of Jet Fleet to Helidyne Systems. While at Jet Fleet, he was asked to design a special helicopter training syllabus for Ross Perot, Jr. As a result of Dub’s dedication to excellence in helicopter flight instruction, he was chosen to assist in the planning and execution of the Spirit of Texas flight around the world. The mission was completed in 30 days.
It was after the completion of the multi-record-breaking helicopter flight around the world that Dub was asked to become the personal helicopter pilot for H. Ross Perot, Sr., Chief Pilot for the EDS Helicopter Division and later Perot Systems and Hillwood. He received the first annual award and trophy from Helicopter Association International for “Outstanding Flight Instructor of the Year” thereafter known as the W. A. “Dub” Blessing Award and later the Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award. In his spare time, he provided flight instruction for re-current training, flight reviews, and safety seminars. He participated in trials as an expert witness representing Bell Helicopter Textron, Allison Division of General Motors, Hughes Helicopters, McDonnell Douglas and Schwitzer Helicopters.
Dub played an important role with Hillwood during the land purchase and development of Alliance Texas. On many occasions he marveled over his good fortune saying it’s the seeds planted in relationships that tend to sprout and bring forth fruit, even years later.
In July 1990 Dub married his childhood friend and neighbor Mary Ann LaBaume Smith.
Dub was truly interested in people’s lives and loved his friendships. If you were lucky enough to call him a friend, you were assured of someone interested in your and your family’s wellbeing, someone prouder of your accomplishments than his own. He was happiest in the air, often saying can you believe someone pays me for this; gee I hope they don’t find out I would do it for free! At the close of Dub’s flying career, he had amassed some 22,000 plus flight hours. His life after aviation was spent with his family and friends. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his daughter, catching up on family time with the nephews (aka affectionately the 3 stooges) and their families, watching the wildlife by the creek, and always wanting to take you to his latest, favorite restaurant. He enriched our lives with his boy scout ways and will be profoundly missed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Ruth Ann Blessing Kemp, and wife, Mary Moline Blessing Murray. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Smith of Fort Worth; his daughter, Elizabeth (“Beth”) Blessing of Southlake, TX; his step-sons, Brad Smith of Charleston, SC, Jody Dean of Dallas, TX, Patrick Smith of Dallas, TX; his nephews, Jon Allen Kemp (Dottie) of Keller, TX, Kevin Kemp (Shelley) of Haslet, TX, Jay Kemp (Jackie) of Mills River, NC; his great nieces and nephews, Kristen Kemp, Katy Livingston, Landen Kemp, Garret Kemp (Megan), Olivia Kemp (Matt), Ethan Kemp, Weston Kemp; his “adopted” daughters, Ande, Alacia, Lark, Vera; and many extended family and friends. The family asks in place of flowers that memorial contributions be made to one of Dub’s favorite charities: Boy Scouts of America Circle 10 Council, DFW Salvation Army, K9s for Warriors, or Perot Museum of Nature and Science.