Blaine Edward Pendleton

Blaine Edward Pendleton, 74 of Pittsburgh (formerly of Ford City), passed away suddenly on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. Born November 15, 1944 in Kittanning, PA, he was the son of the late Randle and Georgia (Isabel) Pendleton.

Blaine graduated from Ford City High School in 1962, where he was a skillful basketball player. The 1962 team of players went undefeated in WPIAL Section 1-A, and as a result, Blaine and his team members were inducted into the 29th Annual Ford City Area Hall of Fame in 2012.  He received a full sports scholarship from Clarion University, from which he graduated. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam for two years as a lab technician and medic. Blaine also attended the University of Pittsburgh taking graduate courses.

Early in his professional career, Blaine was employed with the Community Action Program (CAP) of Armstrong County where he was instrumental in obtaining grants/loans for Ford City homeowners in CAP's home improvement project. His varied career continued in the public service, personnel and civil service, fair housing, and community outreach sectors in the City of Pittsburgh, briefly as a teacher in the Pittsburgh public school system, as an employment counselor at the Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), and coordinator of  housing programs  (rehab and home ownership), specifically targeting economically disadvantaged populations and neighborhoods. Blaine served as a Fair Housing Services Center representative to the Sanders Task Force Planning and Work Group, developing housing plans for residents of public housing communities. He also served as a supervisor in the City's housing and weatherization program. Blaine provided direct training and job placement services to targeted population city residents and served on the Mayor's Commission on M/WBE. He created, located funding and oversaw implementation of a Pittsburgh Job Corps Mentorship Program (the first of its kind nationally) as a city representative on the Community Relations Council. In addition, he assisted in coordinating a career exposition for area military veterans that provided career counseling, referrals to social services agencies and job training opportunities, and developed private sector employment opportunities. Later he was a case manager at Mercy Behavioral Health. Blaine also worked in the Baltimore/DC area with The Koppers Company as a field auditor and with ServiceMaster in a managerial position.

Blaine was a member of the Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church. He enjoyed cooking and was a master of the grill, was the ultimate Steelers fan, and enjoyed listening to jazz music. He loved his family and family traditions, and lived his life to the fullest.

Blaine is survived by his wife Terri; his son Michael Jefferson of Pittsburgh, daughter Dawn Rone of Pittsburgh, and son Deon DeShields of Atlanta; siblings Vivian Pendleton of Ford City, Rita (Edward) Davis of Pittsburgh, William Pendleton of Pittsburgh, Toni K. Pendleton of Pittsburgh and Georgia M. Pendleton Williams of Pittsburgh; godchildren Felicia Bryant Dawson of Philadelphia, Cameron Tyree of Monessen and Kyle Reid of Clarksville, TN; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Lula Robertson, Carrie Pendleton King and Annie Pendleton; brothers, Randle, James, Homer and Lorenza Pendleton; a sister-in-law, Ruth Mary Edwards Pendleton; and a nephew, Vincent Robertson.

Visitation will be from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Monday, in the Welch Funeral Home, 1032 Fourth Ave., Ford City. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, at the Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church, Pittsburgh, PA, with Rev. Dr. Darryl T. Canady officiating. There will be an additional visitation at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of the service. Interment will be in Homewood Cemetery in Pittsburgh. 

If desired, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard, dedicated to ending homelessness among Veterans, "helping Vets help themselves" to productive and self-sufficient lives.

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