Fay L. Blackwell

Fay Lou Watson was born on Thanksgiving Day along with her twin brother Ray Ludie, in 1924 at Chickasha, Oklahoma. She passed away in Abilene, TX at the young age of 100 years 4 months and 9 days, on April 5, 2025 holding her sons hand. Services will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 10:00A.M. at High Pointe Church Chapel, McKinney, TX with burial to follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park, Allen, TX., under the direction of Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street in Abilene.

Flowers can be delivered Friday April 11th between 9:00 and 2:00 or Saturday morning April 12th by 9:00 at the High Pointe Church Chapel. 3201 N Central Expressway, McKinney, TX.

Fay grew up on a small farm near Purcell, Oklahoma. She had many stories of a fun and blessed childhood, working the fields, roaming the pastures, creeks, and woods with her twin brother Ray, climbing trees, riding calves, and dreaming of growing up to be a rodeo bronc rider. At the age of 14, her family packed up everything in the family farm truck and joined the Great Okie Migration, fleeing the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, searching for greener pastures. They spent more than a year traveling all over Texas, doing any farm work. Fay would proudly recall she could pick 150lbs. of cotton on a good day. They first settled down in Brady, TX where Fay and her older sister Lily helped support the family by singing on the radio at Brady, Station KNEL.

After Fay’s family moved to Plano Tx. in 1941, she started writing “Dear Soldier” and was answered by a young airman stationed at Dallas Love Field. In March of 1942, Fay at age 17, married George Thomas Blackwell in Plano, TX and later moved to Warner Robbins, Georgia where they both worked at the Army Air Corps Depot, rebuilding war damaged aircraft.

After the war ended, Fay and George moved to McKinney, TX where George was hired by the US Post Office. They first built a house on College Street and in 1959, moved to 408 N. Waddill Street where Fay lived for 61 years.

Fay and George had 3 children, Brenda Delores, Michael Barry and Reginald Larry, all McKinney High School graduates.

Fay was a member of the Church of Christ, baptized in 1939 at the Church of Christ in Milburn, Texas, and in McKinney a member of Davis Street, Westside, Collin County and High Pointe.

Fay was also a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

She is preceded in death by her parents Lee Clyde Watson and Hixie Mae Watson, her twin brother Ray Ludie Watson, and wife, Faye Marie Watson, her sister Hixie Lily Chamberlain and husband Raymond Chamberlain, her husband George Thomas Blackwell and her son Michael Barry Blackwell.

She is survived by two children, Brenda Delores Brinsfield (Sol) of Elgin, TX., Reginald Larry Blackwell (Anita), of Abilene, TX. Seven Grandchildren, Gregg Brinsfield (Dawna), of Tallassee, AL, Wendy Mclain (Bill) of Jackson, TN, Marla Myers (Jeremy) of Ovalo, TX, Brad Blackwell of Seattle, WA, Bryan Blackwell (Melissa) of Idalou, TX, Brett Blackwell (Leah) of Los Alamos, NM and Mike Blackwell II of Maryland. She is also survived by 11 Great Grandchildren; Elizabeth (Jared) Senger, Joshua Brinsfield, Caitlin Cole (Jared), Zachary Brinsfield (Olivia), Dalton & Tyler Mclain, Eleanor, Hayes & Eisley Myers, Brady & Lila Blackwell and 6 Great Great Grandchildren Evelyn & Annalise Senger, Benedict, Sullivan, Arthur, and Odette Cole.