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Samuel M. Blount, JR, age 88, a prominent Raleigh Consulting Engineer, died of natural causes at Rex Hospital, Thursday night. He was born in Washington, NC to Samuel Masters Blount, Sr. and Bessie Sue Stacy at the old Tayloe Hospital. He was a tenth-generation descendant of Capt. James Blount, who came to Isle of Wight Precinct, Virginia in 1655 from England.

He attended the John H. Small Elementary School, Washington High School, and Staunton Military Academy, Staunton, Va in 1950.

He enrolled in the Pre-Med curriculum at the University of North Carolina for 1 ½ semesters and was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, a member of the UNC Marching Band, the UNC Pep Band, and the UNC Swimming team. Sam transferred to N.C. State University where he received bachelor degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering in 1955 – being one of the first undergraduate students to receive two engineering degrees at the same time.

While at N.C. State University; he served as a Chairman of the Student Judicial Board and held memberships in Blue Key, national honor fraternity; and Pi Tau Sigma, national honorary mechanical engineering fraternity.

And there he met and later married on March 2, 1957, Emily C. Brown, a student in Civil Engineering who received both a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering and a 5th year Professional degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Option. She was the first woman registered as a Professional Engineer and a Professional Land Surveyor in North Carolina. 

Sam’s professional career includes; B.O. Vannort, Engineers, Inc., Charlotte, NC, Industrial Extension Service and NC State University, and L.E. Wooten Co. Consulting Engineers, Raleigh, NC.

Sam opened his own company, S.M. Blount, Jr., P.A. Consulting Engineers. A Raleigh based firm provided mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering services to Architects, Engineers, Governmental, HUD, and private clients. Major projects involved retrofit of large central-boiler heating plants and CIAP modernization programs in construction work for large Housing Authorities in over 14 major cities. Duties included functioning as chief administrative officer, design and analysis of systems, microcomputer programming of engineering solutions to problems, client relations, and coordination of ancillary outside architectural and engineering services provided by outside consultants.

He authored “Residential Load Estimate”, heating and air conditioning microcomputer program for the Carrier Corp., which was widely used throughout the US by dealers, distributors, architects, consulting engineers, industry, and other.

He was extremely proud of his family history. He authored an extensive Genealogy of the Blount Family, dating back to Eric, the Usurper, King of Denmark, born in 857 A.D. Also, his third Great Grand Uncle, William Blount, from NC, signed the US Constitution.

During his working years, he spent many hours flying on Piedmont Airlines.  He was known fondly throughout the traveling community as a “real” character. He knew all the flight crews, from Raleigh, flying to Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. He always took pictures of the airline stewardesses. He knew them all by name. He enjoyed entertaining children, doing magic tricks and games. Throughout the Piedmont Airlines community, it was well known, who Sam Blount “was”, and how it was always said, “to be wearing a big smile on board”.

During his professional career, he held numerous professional memberships; Consulting Engineers Council of NC, (CECNC); American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC); Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS); American Society of Mechanical Engineers; American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), North Piedmont Chapter, President 1964; Raleigh Engineers Club; NC Society of Engineers (NCEC), on their Board of Directors and was Publications Chairman for 12 years. He also served as a member of Governor Dan Moore’s Technical Advisory Committee.

He is survived by his wife, Emily Brown Blount; a son: Clayton Blount, and his children; John Gray Blount, VI, Reading Blount, of Gastonia, NC. His daughter, Dena Angel Blount Gearhart and her son, Samuel M. Gearhart of Ocean Springs, MS. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. John Gray Blount, and wife, Mary Howard Bowen of Washington, NC., and their daughters; Stacy Robbins Blount and husband, Robert C. Divine and their children of Signal Mtn, TN. Mary Angel Blount Krech, and husband David L. Krech and daughter Olivia of Morgantown, WV; and Emily Blount Mayne, and husband, Winfield K. Mayne of Washington, NC. Also, surviving is a sister-in-law, Ms. Mary B. de Grouche of Raleigh, NC. Special friends; Bob and daughter, Danielle Rees of Washington, NC. Cameron Bridger and Family of Raleigh, NC., Sam, Carol, and Marsha Willard of Washington, NC.

A graveside service and celebration of life service will be held at a later date in Washington, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask for donations to be made to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC.

Samuel M. Blount, JR, age 88, a prominent Raleigh Consulting Engineer, died of natural causes at Rex Hospital, Thursday night. He was born in Washington, NC to Samuel Masters Blount, Sr. and Bessie Sue Stacy at the old Tayloe Hospital. He was a tenth-generation descendant of Capt. James Blount, who came to Isle of Wight Precinct, Virginia in 1655 from England.

He attended the John H. Small Elementary School, Washington High School, and Staunton Military Academy, Staunton, Va in 1950.

He enrolled in the Pre-Med curriculum at the University of North Carolina for 1 ½ semesters and was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, a member of the UNC Marching Band, the UNC Pep Band, and the UNC Swimming team. Sam transferred to N.C. State University where he received bachelor degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering in 1955 – being one of the first undergraduate students to receive two engineering degrees at the same time.

While at N.C. State University; he served as a Chairman of the Student Judicial Board and held memberships in Blue Key, national honor fraternity; and Pi Tau Sigma, national honorary mechanical engineering fraternity.

And there he met and later married on March 2, 1957, Emily C. Brown, a student in Civil Engineering who received both a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering and a 5th year Professional degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Option. She was the first woman registered as a Professional Engineer and a Professional Land Surveyor in North Carolina. 

Sam’s professional career includes; B.O. Vannort, Engineers, Inc., Charlotte, NC, Industrial Extension Service and NC State University, and L.E. Wooten Co. Consulting Engineers, Raleigh, NC.

Sam opened his own company, S.M. Blount, Jr., P.A. Consulting Engineers. A Raleigh based firm provided mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering services to Architects, Engineers, Governmental, HUD, and private clients. Major projects involved retrofit of large central-boiler heating plants and CIAP modernization programs in construction work for large Housing Authorities in over 14 major cities. Duties included functioning as chief administrative officer, design and analysis of systems, microcomputer programming of engineering solutions to problems, client relations, and coordination of ancillary outside architectural and engineering services provided by outside consultants.

He authored “Residential Load Estimate”, heating and air conditioning microcomputer program for the Carrier Corp., which was widely used throughout the US by dealers, distributors, architects, consulting engineers, industry, and other.

He was extremely proud of his family history. He authored an extensive Genealogy of the Blount Family, dating back to Eric, the Usurper, King of Denmark, born in 857 A.D. Also, his third Great Grand Uncle, William Blount, from NC, signed the US Constitution.

During his working years, he spent many hours flying on Piedmont Airlines.  He was known fondly throughout the traveling community as a “real” character. He knew all the flight crews, from Raleigh, flying to Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. He always took pictures of the airline stewardesses. He knew them all by name. He enjoyed entertaining children, doing magic tricks and games. Throughout the Piedmont Airlines community, it was well known, who Sam Blount “was”, and how it was always said, “to be wearing a big smile on board”.

During his professional career, he held numerous professional memberships; Consulting Engineers Council of NC, (CECNC); American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC); Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS); American Society of Mechanical Engineers; American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), North Piedmont Chapter, President 1964; Raleigh Engineers Club; NC Society of Engineers (NCEC), on their Board of Directors and was Publications Chairman for 12 years. He also served as a member of Governor Dan Moore’s Technical Advisory Committee.

He is survived by his wife, Emily Brown Blount; a son: Clayton Blount, and his children; John Gray Blount, VI, Reading Blount, of Gastonia, NC. His daughter, Dena Angel Blount Gearhart and her son, Samuel M. Gearhart of Ocean Springs, MS. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. John Gray Blount, and wife, Mary Howard Bowen of Washington, NC., and their daughters; Stacy Robbins Blount and husband, Robert C. Divine and their children of Signal Mtn, TN. Mary Angel Blount Krech, and husband David L. Krech and daughter Olivia of Morgantown, WV; and Emily Blount Mayne, and husband, Winfield K. Mayne of Washington, NC. Also, surviving is a sister-in-law, Ms. Mary B. de Grouche of Raleigh, NC. Special friends; Bob and daughter, Danielle Rees of Washington, NC. Cameron Bridger and Family of Raleigh, NC., Sam, Carol, and Marsha Willard of Washington, NC.

A graveside service and celebration of life service will be held at a later date in Washington, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask for donations to be made to the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC.