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The Dec. 11 death of Terry Lee Blalock of Norwood marked the loss of a dedicated servant to Stanly County as well as the Cottonville and Aquadale communities where he lived.

Blalock, a long-time Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor for Stanly County, also served as one of Stanly’s delegates for the larger Brown Creek Soil and Water Conservation District, which encompasses eight counties.

“He was first elected as a supervisor in 2002,” Stanly County Board of Elections Director Kim Blackwelder said.

According to information posted on the North Carolina Department of Agriculture website, the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Commission will appoint a person to serve the balance of Blalock’s term.

“Terry has been an inspiration to me,” said Curtis Furr, who has served with Blalock as one of Stanly’s three elected Soil and Water Supervisors since 2010, as well as on the Farm Bureau Board for more than 30 years.

Although serving in an elected capacity as Soil and Water supervisor, Blalock’s loss will create a void on the numerous other boards and organization for which he served, including the Stanly County and North Carolina Farm Bureau boards of directors (for which he served as voting delegate for Stanly County), the North Carolina Soybean Board and the Stanly County Water and Sewer Authority.

In addition, he was as a member of the Aquadale Volunteer Fire Department for 50 years, and served as a deacon and choir member at Cottonville Baptist Church.

“Terry was never one to speak bad of anyone,” said Furr. “He didn’t dwell on the negatives.
“You just can’t say enough good things about him.”

Toby Thorpe is a freelance contributor for The Stanly News & Press.