Obituary of Roger H. Blackwood, Jr.

Roger Harvey Blackwood Jr. 61, of Wixom MI, died November 9th, 2021 in his home at Courtyard Manor-Wixom.  He was born May 5, 1960 in Pontiac to Roger H. Blackwood Sr. and Barbara Cavan Blackwood. 

Roger was our red-headed mischievous little brother who had a smile a mile-wide and the greatest laugh.  He sustained a traumatic brain injury at 10 years old.  Roger’s life journey after that was filled with significant physical and mental health challenges, but he was tenacious and always came back from whatever life served up. He graduated from St. John’s Military Academy, Kenosha WI in 1978.  He returned home and worked construction for a few years, then at the Bloomfield Hills Public Library and later at ARC.  He moved to Courtyard Manor-Wixom in 2004 where he was loved by his devoted caregivers for 17 years.  The family will forever be indebted to the staff.  Roger loved to go out to eat and was always up for a good game of Gin Rummy or Sorry.   

Loving son, brother, uncle and cousin, Roger is survived by his sisters Nancy Blackwood, Boulder, CO and Sally Blackwood, Sebastopol, CA; nieces Jessie Newell, Eugene, OR and Sarah Cruz, Santa Rosa, CA; nephew Toby Kremple, Seattle, WA.; 4 great-nieces and great-nephews, Elizabeth, Alyssa, and Ryan Newell; and Remy Cruz.

A private Memorial Service will be held in May in Michigan.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Brain Injury Association of Michigan, 7305 Grand River, Suite 100, Brighton, MI 48114 or through the tab on the website: www.BIAMI.org

Please share a memory of Roger on his Tribute Wall.