John Baxter Black II with a portrait of his uncle John, in 2009 in Mansfield, Ohio. The portrait shown is a replica of the portrait that hangs in the John Black Room at the Saranac Laboratory Museum. Photo courtesy of Historic Saranac Lake. Born: April 2, 1924
Died: October 28, 2014
October 28, 2014: Word has been received of the death of John Baxter Black II of Mansfield Ohio. Mr. Black was named for his uncle, John Baxter Black, who came to Saranac Lake with tuberculosis and died in 1923. The John Black Room at the Saranac Laboratory was named in honor of his uncle. In recent years Mr. Black and his brother, Peter, honored their family’s history by supporting the work of Historic Saranac Lake.
The following obituary appeared in the Mansfield News Journal:
MANSFIELD: John Baxter Black, 90, of Westover Lane, Mansfield, died on October 28, 2014 after a brief illness.
The son of the late Robert Blymyer and Esther McEwan Black and the grandson of Frank Blymyer Black, founder of the Ohio Brass Company, Mr. Black was born April 2, 1924, in New York City. However, his family was from Mansfield, he grew up here, and he always had a home here, although he also lived for extended periods in Boston, New York, and London.
Mr. Black was educated at the Putney School in Vermont, at Harvard University, and later at Columbia University, where he did graduate work in history. He served in the United States Army for three years during World War II, and was oversees for two years, from 1943 to 1945, in Northern Ireland, England, France, and Belgium.
A writer by profession, Mr. Black spent his life reading, writing, and teaching. His favorite recreations were walking and genealogy.
He was a member of the First Congregational Church, Westbrook County Club in Mansfield, Union Club in Cleveland, Harvard Club in New York, Chelsea Arts Club in London. He is survived by his brother, Peter McEwan Black, of Boston, and numerous cousins.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at First Congregational Church, 640 Millsboro Road with the Reverend Bruce Haapalainen officiating. Friends may call at the Finefrock Chapel of the Snyder Funeral Home Tuesday evening 4-6p.m. Burial will be in Mansfield Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Congregational Church or the Richalnd County Foundation.
Online condolences to the family may be made by visiting:www.snyderfuneralhomes.com
