Joan Fields Blalock

Joan was born September 24,1950 to James Ellis Fields and Mary Curlee Fields of Pinehurst, NC. She was a graduate of Pinehurst High School in the village of Pinehurst. Growing up in Pinehurst, she began playing golf at a young age. She took advantage of her father being a Founder Member of Pinehurst Country Club which allowed her access to beautiful courses and golf professionals to teach her the game. She graduated from East Carolina University, where she attained a bachelor’s degree in Middle School Education with a concentration in mathematics. After graduating in 1972, she began her teaching career at Bethany School in Rockingham County near Reidsville NC. Subsequently she taught in Alamance County, NC (Elon Middle and Western Alamance Middle), Gaston County, NC, at William C. Friday Junior High School, and at Williams Middle School, in Florence, SC. Her preference was teaching AP math to 7th and 8th graders.

In 1974 she married her husband Al Blalock. They were married for 48 years. They shared a true, giving, and lasting love based on Christian principles. They fully respected each other and enjoyed being together every moment possible. They both enjoyed golfing and tennis together, and with other couples. They traveled extensively in the US, the Caribbean, and Europe, which they really enjoyed. Joan and Al were always happy and ready to host an evening with friends and neighbors.

She was preceded in death by her parents, J. Ellis Fields, Jr and Mary C. Fields of Pinehurst; and her precious daughter Jennifer Blalock Brown, who succumbed to cancer in 2012.

Surviving are her husband, Al Blalock of the home, granddaughter, Mary Ellis Brown of Jupiter, FL, sister Janice Ross of Pinehurst, NC, and sister Jean Stimpson, of Fayetteville GA, and several nieces and nephews. For Mary Ellis, Joan will forever be her “Jo Jo.”

Having lived in several cities in the southeast during her teaching career and in retirement, Joan made a very large number of close friends that have remained friends for her entire adult life. She was known for never forgetting a birthday, an anniversary, or any other special or sad occasion. Her friends could always count on a phone call or greeting card when they or their family members were experiencing some sort of personal crisis, or just a touching base call to check on grandkids and the like. Most of important of all, she was loving, compassionate, had a big heart, and cared deeply for her family and her friends.

A Memorial Service will be held at Jamestown Methodist, at 2:00 pm. on Sunday, April 24. A visitation with the family will follow in the church fellowship hall. A private burial ceremony will be held in Southern Pines, NC, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, Joan requests that donations be made to: Duke Medical Cancer Center, 300 W. Morgan St., Suite 1200, Durham NC, 27701.

In the event you are unable to attend Joan's memorial service in person, we invite you to join us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/JamestownUMCNC as we celebrate the life of Joan Fields Blalock. The service will go live and appear on this page no more than 5 minutes before the start of the 2:00 pm service on Sunday, April 24, 2022. After the service you can find the recording on the Jamestown UMC's "Funeral Services Playlist".