Kenneth C. Blackwell Sr.

Kenneth Clarence Blackwell, Sr aka “Black” was born December 10, 1960, to the late Robert Lee Blackwell, Sr., and the late Ora Bell Blackwell, in Harrisburg, PA. “Black” passed on into eternal glory on Monday, April 10, 2023, at the Holy Spirit Hospital. He had accepted Christ as his Savior as a child and attended St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. He was a graduate of Susquehanna High School class of 1977 where he played on the football team all four years. He went on to attend Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio and graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

Kenneth worked several years for Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). He was also employed with IBM.  Blackwell had a mind for business and offered ideas and advice to those who wished to start their own.  His heart and passion was to be an entrepreneur, as he became a long-term business owner of “Blackwell Groceries,” which he started in 1991 on Hamilton Street in Uptown Harrisburg.  He was a Harrisburg historian of African American business owners.

He loved the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. He loved his entire family and constantly encouraged them to do better. In 1997 he married the love of his life, Cheri Williams Blackwell. Through this union they had three sons Kenneth Jr.,   Jonathan, and Salik. He was so overjoyed when he became a grandfather. Seeing and holding his grandchildren put the biggest smile on his face.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by seven of his siblings, Norman Murry, Zimmie Lee Banks, Robert Lee Jr., Ora Lee, Freddie Allen, Rita Mae Blackwell, and Dorothy Ann King.

He leaves to celebrate his life and cherish his memories, his wife Cheri Williams Blackwell, his three sons, Kenneth Jr. (Harrisburg), Jonathan Blackwell (Seattle, WA), and Salik Williams (Harrisburg) and most importantly his three grandchildren, Josiah, Juliana, and Jeriah Blackwell. His brother John (Della) Murry and his favorite nephew Steve Blackwell Sr., all from Harrisburg, PA, his Goddaughter, Victoria Preston Richardson (Mervin), three God grandchildren, Merrick, Maddox and Mattison of Sarasota, FL and a host of nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

Masks are necessary and required.

Services will be live streamed, click the link provided: https://youtube.com/@spmbc2889