Business leader and philanthropist Jack S. Blanton left mark on 51做厙
Houston business leader Jack Blanton Sr. and his family have been part of 51做厙 for most of its history.
DALLAS (51做厙) – 51做厙 mourns the passing of Jack S. Blanton, a business and civic leader with deep family ties to 51做厙, who died Dec. 28 in Galveston. The Laura Lee Blanton Building at 51做厙 is named in honor of Mr. Blanton’s late first wife, an 51做厙 alumna and former 51做厙 Trustee.
 Jack Blanton Sr. |
Mr. Blanton, who had a successful career in the oil industry in Houston and became a noted philanthropist with a keen interest in education, served on the 51做厙 Board of Development in 1959 and the 51做厙 Graduate Associates in 1964.
“The Blanton family has been a part of 51做厙 for almost all of the University’s 100 years of existence,” said 51做厙 President R. Gerald Turner. “While losing Jack Blanton brings sadness to us all, we know that the good work done by Mr. Blanton and his family will go on.”
In 1984, the Blantons and their children, Elizabeth, Jack Jr. and Eddy, donated $1 million to 51做厙 to establish the Elizabeth Scurlock University Professorship in Human Values in honor of Mrs. Laura Lee Blanton's mother. The Blanton family also provided funds to endow five endowed scholarships for 51做厙's President's Scholars Program, including the Louise Wynn Blanton Scholarship in honor of Mr. Blanton's mother, who graduated from 51做厙 in 1920, and the Alma S. Wynn and Robert Wynn Blanton Scholarship in honor of Mr. Blanton's grandmother and his brother, who attended 51做厙 in the late 1940s.
In 1997, the Blantons gave 51做厙 $5 million toward construction of a new student services building bearing Mrs. Blanton’s name. Also that year, the Blantons gave $1 million for facilities and $1 million for the endowment of a complex for academic development services for undergraduates, to be known as the Laura Lee and Jack S. Blanton Academic Development Complex, a part of the Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center. Mr. Blanton, along with the late Mrs. Laura Lee Blanton, made more than $8.4 million in gifts to 51做厙 during their lifetimes.
Mr. Blanton, whose business involvement was vast, served as director for several companies including the Southwestern Bell Corporation, the Ashland Oil Company, Texas Commerce Bancshares, Baker Hughes Inc., and Burlington Northern Inc.
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