BLACKWOOD, Reverend Ronald Alister (1919-2017) Ronald Alister Blackwood was born at Dimboola on 23 August 1919 to parents, Reverend William Edgar Blackwood and Martha Elsie May Blackwood (nee Colquhoun).
After attending Mildura High School he was enrolled as a boarder at Geelong College from 14 February 1934 to December 1936. He then entered Ormond College to study Arts at the University of Melbourne. Ron then spent a year at Lakes Entrance, Victoria as a home missionary before entering Theological College from which he graduated in November 1943. That same year he married to Jean Baker with whom he had three children.
Ron was ordained at Stanley, Tasmania in April 1944 where he lived until he was transferred top St David's Presbyterian Church, Newtown, Geelong in 1947 where he remained for the next 10 years. During that time he was also a part-time chaplain at Morongo Presbyterian Girls' College.
In 1957 Ron and his family moved to St John's Presbyterian Church, Wahroonga, Sydney where once again he became a part-time chaplain at Knox Grammar School. From there he moved to St Andrew's Church, Gardiner, Melbourne in 1968 and finally to Mildura.
During his service to the community and the Presbyterian Church Ron pursued a diverse and active role. He regularly broadcast on radio and television, became first chair of Victoria's Nepean Presbytery of the Uniting Church in 1977 and at various times Chair of the Pastoral Relations Committee, Chair of the Joint Board of Christian Education, as well as serving on the School Councils of Morongo, Knox Grammar and the Presbyterian Ladies College, Pymble.
In later years he lived at Mayflower Aged Care Facility, Gerringong, NSW and Uniting Care, Shellharbour, NSW where he died on 12 June. He was 97 years of age.
His brother,
Alan Ferguson Blackwood MC (1921-2015 ), and sons, Roger Blackwood, and Peter Blackwood were also educated at Geelong College. His daughter, Alison was educated at Morongo.
Sources: Obituary by Peter Blackwood Sydney Morning Herald 14 July 2017. OGC 1931.