Michael Elwood Blansett, 67, passed away peacefully on May 10, 2017, under the watchful eyes of the best nursing staff in the universe at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Plano, Texas. He was born to Elwood and Billie Blansett in Harrisburg, Arkansas on October 20, 1949 and grew up wherever his father's military service took them around the world. In 1967, his family moved to Plano, and he was a resident of the area ever since. He served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1971, with tours of duty in Germany and Vietnam. Shortly afterward, he met Karen Day, and they were inseparable from that point on. They were married in her hometown of Allen, Texas on May 14, 1977.
Mike is survived by his wife of almost 40 years, Karen of The Colony, Texas, sons, Ryan of The Colony and Matthew of Dallas and grandson, Gavin Blansett of Euless. He also leaves behind his mother, Billie Blansett, sister, Janice Atkins and brother, James Blansett, all of Plano, along with brother, Bobby Blansett and his wife Deborah of Dallas, as well as half-brother, Jerry Wayne Blansett and wife Carol of West Memphis, Arkansas. He will also be missed by the many cousins, nieces and nephews, who held a special place in his heart. He was preceded in death by his father, Elwood Blansett, his beloved shih tzu, Oreo and his other canine companions, Smokie and Pogo.
Mike initially began working with computers in the Army when the industry was in its infancy and continued to do so as a civilian. He joined IBM in 1974 and was continuously employed there in a variety of roles until his passing. Over his 43-year tenure, he got to see many sides of the company, from hardware to software to marketing and beyond, and he formed many lasting relationships. To the end, he was a dedicated employee who even made calls from his hospital bed to ensure that his customers were taken care of.
Outside of work, his passions were cars, racing, and generally anything fast or high performance. He loved the challenge of diagnosing mechanical issues with vintage engines as well as finding ways to squeeze more performance and drivability from them. He could diagnose and fix just about any automotive problem, despite the fact that he never made his living as a mechanic. He was partial to the muscle cars of the 60s and 70s and had more detailed knowledge of engine specifications and body style changes than you can imagine. He was a proud member of the Dallas Area Pontiac Association for many years and loved to pass his knowledge on to others.
Mike was also known for his dry sense of humor, which wasn't always understood, but if you did you were endlessly entertained. He was kind, generous and a friend to everyone, always putting others before himself and lending a helping hand whenever he could. A dedicated “dogfather,” he doted on Oreo and didn't hesitate to take her through the drive-thru at KFC for chicken nuggets whenever she wanted. Above all, he loved his family and would do anything he could for them. He will be missed greatly by family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and many others he had the good fortune to cross paths with over the years.
Over the past eight months he acquired another "family" in his oncology team. He adored and trusted Dr. Thuy Le and her staff who did everything possible to cure his lymphoma. He also got to know the nursing and support staff of 6C at Texas Health Presbyterian Plano quite well and considered them friends as well as caregivers. He knew everyone's names and many details of their lives and he looked forward to opportunities to chat with them. Especially over the last few weeks, there cannot be enough said about their skill, dedication, and compassion, as they were truly there for us in every sense of the word at all times.
Mike was a huge animal lover of both the domestic and wild varieties. If you wish to make charity contributions in his name, I'm sure he would appreciate your support of any organization that benefits animal welfare. Alternatively, resources directed toward lymphoma research and treatment could help eventually eradicate this devastating disease.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, May 21, 2017 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas. We hope Mike's memorial service will be a celebration of his life rather than a mourning of his passing, so please feel free to dress cheerfully, laugh, reminisce about the fun times, and share the happy memories you have of him.