After his family moved from Pontotoc, MS as a young boy he grew up in Belle Glade, FL and voluntarily joined the United States Marine Corps in 1969.
Johnny bravely served his country in Vietnam in the 1st battalion, 5th Marine Regiment as a rifleman and radioman based out of Da Nang Vietnam. Shortly after returning from Vietnam Johnny returned to Belle Glade where he met and married Jerry Charlene Kirchman and recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. Johnny had a successful plumbing business for 30 years, where he enjoyed serving people of the Glades with his faithful dog Bear in tow. He was an avid Do It Yourselfer including renovating his home on Pine Island, he also enjoyed hunting and spending time on Lake Okeechobee.
Johnny was most proud of his 2 children, Jennifer Blakely Jacks (Jay Jacks) and Justin Ford Blakely (Erin Wells Blakely) and his 3 grandchildren Kylie Jacks Scott (Judson Scott), Haiden Blakely Jacks and Sawyer Ellere Jacks.
In 2006 Johnny retired to St. James City, FL on Pine Island where he enjoyed fishing with his wife Jerry and socializing with his friends at Froggy’s where he often made people laugh at his jokes and sense of humor.
Johnny passed away on August 9, 2019 in Fort Myers, FL at the Health Park hospital after an illness.
Johnny is preceded in death by his parents Robert Ford Blakely and Mary Catherine Blakely. He is survived by his wife Jerry Kirchman Blakely, his daughter Jennifer Blakely Jacks and her husband Jay Jacks of Auburn, AL, his son Justin Ford Blakely and his wife Erin Wells Blakely of St. Petersburg, FL; three grandchildren, Kylie Jacks Scott and her husband Judson Scott, Haiden Blakely Jacks and Sawyer Ellere Jacks also of Auburn, AL, his brother Robert Ford Blakely and wife Carolyn Stewart Blakely of Altamonte Springs, FL, his sister Mary Rebecca Blakely Sweat and husband Jim Sweat of Nevada, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends.
Memorial services in Mississippi and Florida to follow at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Semper Fi Fund, atwww.semperfifund.org<http://www.semperfifund.org> or by mail at Semper Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd, Suite 102, PMB 609, Oceanside, CA 92057.
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