H.O. Blackwood lll, DDS

Bossier City, LA - A celebration of the life of Dr. H.O. Blackwood III will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall St., Shreveport, LA. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home. Dr. Blackwood passed away peacefully on July 21, 2016, following a brief battle with cancer. He was born in Sewanee, TN, January 31, 1934, to H.O. Blackwood, Jr. and Peace Pugh Blackwood. H.O. graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, TN in 1952, and completed his pre-dental courses at Vanderbilt University. He entered the U.S. Army as a Dental Laboratory technician and was an honor graduate of the Medical Field Service School. Upon honorable discharge from the army, he completed his dental degree at Loyola University School of Dentistry, New Orleans, LA., graduating first in his class in 1960. He completed a five year Orthodontic Preceptorship with Dr. David P. Comegys of Shreveport, LA in 1975. Dr. Blackwood was a member of the following professional associations: Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics (Board Certified), Diplomate, American Association of Orthodontics, Diplomate, American College of Dentistry, American Dental Association and the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry, Past President. He was particularly proud of his tenure on the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry 1985-2014, and he worked tirelessly to protect the Louisiana public. Dr. Blackwood was Chief Orthodontic Consultant to the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at LSUMC Shreveport, and he thoroughly enjoyed his work with Dr. Ghali E. Ghali and the residents. He was Orthodontic Consultant to Barksdale and Bossier Base dental clinics for 8 years. Dr. Blackwood was the recipient of the Louisiana Dental Association Distinguished Dentist of the year. H.O. loved individual sports and anything outdoors - tennis, handball, racquetball, water and snow skiing, sailing, jogging, and wind surfing, all of which he did with his children. Dr. Blackwood was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Van Richard Blackwood, and his nephew C. Roger Blackwood, Jr. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Sherry; and his beloved children, Richard and his son, Richard Blackwood, Jr., Dorothy, Dr. Jeff Leblanc (Christy) and their sons, Stuart and Ashton, and Dr. Van Stephen Blackwood (Lisa) and their children, Liam Wilder Blackwood and Hannah Denkhaus; brother, C. Roger Blackwood (Nancy) and their son, C. David Blackwood. Special appreciation is expressed to his long-time employees Laura Ardoin, Vicky Gould, Ozie Miller, and Jan Peters. The family is deeply appreciative for the numerous visitors and the many acts of support that were given during his illness. Special thanks go to Dr. Leon Bain, Jr., Dr. Ghali E. Ghali, and Dr. Tom McNeely for their professional friendships and support through his illnesses. The family is grateful to Dr. Chris Ingram and Dr. Scott Bonial for their excellent medical care. We are thankful for the kind and compassionate care that was given by Grace Home. The family is also grateful to Dr. Blackwood's brother Roger, his wife Nancy, and Dr. Morgan Lang who gave their time and energy selflessly to make this sad time manageable. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Blackwood Professorship in Cranio-Maxillofacial & Cleft Surgery at LSU Health Sciences Foundation, 920 Pierremont Rd, Suite 506, Shreveport, LA 71106, website: lsuhsfoundation.org/donate