Obituary of Rev. Paul Blessing

Weber City - On July 30 at age 96, Rev. Paul Blessing departed this mortal coil to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Born in 1922 to Will and Mary Belle (Grimm) Blessing, Paul grew up in the Kermit community of Scott County, Virginia. In his teenage years, while attending the Cowan’s Branch Baptist Church, he came to follow Jesus as Savior and shortly afterwards committed himself to serve as a minister of the Gospel. To that end, in the early 1940s, after finishing Scott County’s Cleveland High School, Paul began study at the Baptist Bible Seminary of Johnson City, New York. After his seminary training, he attended the University of Richmond, then completed his collegiate education at King College in Bristol, Tennessee. He later received additional pastoral training at the Bowman-Gray School of Medicine in North Carolina.

Paul’s pastoral ministry was focused in Scott County, with early tenures at the Darthula, Hilton, and Zion Baptist churches. In 1945, while pastoring at Zion, he met, fell for, and in 1946 married the love of his life, Myrtle Robinette. Later he was called to pastor the Gateway Baptist (later known as the First Baptist Church) in Weber City, where he served for 24 years and raised his children. From 1972 until his retirement in 1987, Paul served as Director of Missions for the Clinch Valley Baptist Association. He was a charter member of the Weber City Lions Club and for 65 years remained dedicated to the Lions Club focus to improve vision services.

Formal retirement did not end Paul’s commitment to Christ and to his fellow Scott Countians. In the 1990s he took on the mantle of de facto chaplain of the local Weber City nursing home and, for almost 20 years, visited most nursing home residents almost every day, giving attention, words of encouragement, and loving kindness during the evenings of their years. His ever-present smile and joy in life were signal to his character. 

He led weekly Bible studies at the home, taught Sunday School at Zion Baptist Church, and his faith was a steadfast assurance of God’s promises of an eternal home in heaven with the Lord. That same assurance is a divine comfort to Paul’s family and many beloved friends whose lives he touched repeatedly. To the hour of his passing, Paul’s daily activities, his physical strength, his spiritual devotion, his joyful attitude, and his mental acuity inspired and even stunned those who knew or encountered him. He never lost a step. His life stood in counterpoint to a debased culture, and his joyful demeanor served both as an example and challenge to all.

Paul’s marriage continued for 57 years until 2003, when his beloved Myrtle passed away. Their union produced three children: Bill Blessing (Carol Anne, 1948-2008), now of Cincinnati, Ohio; Sue Blessing Arnold (Greg) of Scott County’s Clinchport community; and Joe Blessing (Catherine), now of Williamsburg, Virginia. Paul leaves four grandchildren: David Blessing (Erica) of Cincinnati, Ohio; the Rev. Wren Blessing of Bainbridge Island, Washington; Kimberly Wensel (Brent) and Nick Blessing (Stephanie) of Fairfax, Virginia; and seven great-grandchildren. To all these descendants Paul, affectionately known as “Peep,” was a joy and treasure. 

By age 96, having completed nearly 75 years in the Christian ministry, Paul Blessing had prepared well to meet eternity. He has joined the saints before that great cloud of witnesses. Among us he was a giant.

The family will receive visitors on Friday evening, August 3, 5:00-8:00 PM, at the Scott County Funeral Home in Weber City, Virginia. A funeral service will be held for Paul at the First Baptist Church of Weber City, Virginia on Saturday, August 4, at 10:00 AM with Rev. William J. Kendrick officiating. A graveside service will follow at Holston View Cemetery.  “Paul Bearers” will be Greg Arnold, Brent Wensel, Nick Blessing, Chris Stapleton, Phil Jimerson and C.J. Blessing. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Christian Association for Deaf Education, 115 Lake Forest Circle, Knoxville, Tennessee 37920.

To express condolences to the family visit www.scottcountyfuneralhome.com.

Carter Trent/Scott County Funeral Home is serving the Blessing Family.