Jose Luis Blanco passed away peacefully on June 25, 2022 after a sudden, but brief illness. Jose was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico on September 2, 1976. He was the oldest of three children, and the first years of his life were spent in Puerto Rico among many cousins, grandparents and family. As a boy, he was very loving and caring to others; a trait he would carry on the rest of his life.
After Jose's father joined the United States Air Force, he lived in several places, and eventually graduated from Bitburg American High School in Germany as a member of the National Honor Society. Jose excelled in sports; he enjoyed swimming, basketball, cross-country (all European), golfing and lastly soccer, as a team captain. Jose was always of moral and ethical conviction, achieving Eagle Scout at the age of fourteen.
Jose graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While there, he enjoyed playing guitar in a band with his brother PJ and two other friends. He then attended Western Michigan University School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor. Jose practiced law serving the underprivileged at Legal Aid services. He was awarded "Public Servant of the Year" in 2016 by the National Association of Social Workers Oklahoma, further demonstrating his inclination to serve unselfishly.
After law school, Jose moved to Oklahoma, where he met his future wife Andrea Clem at the St. John's Young Adult group. Jose and Andrea were married for eleven years and have three young children: William, John and Caroline. Jose loved spending time with his family, traveling, gardening and hiking. He recently began participating in 5K and 10K races. He was a very active member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, where he was a 4th Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus, serving several office positions. He also enthusiastically participated in his children's lives at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School, serving as Cub Scout Den Leader, soccer coach and Watch D.O.G.S. volunteer.
Jose is survived by: his wife Andrea, his children William, John and Caroline; his parents Luie and Adita, his brother Pedro Javier (PJ) and sister-in-law Courtney and their children Benjamin and Anlynn; and his sister Barbara, her fiance Kyle Matthews and their children Remy and Jonas. |