THE THIN BLUE LINE

POLICE LIFEGUARD FRANCIS S. BLANKENSHIP

SDPD 06/16/1941 - PENDING

04/29/1923 - 02/15/1990

Francis Sherwood "Fran" Blankenship, 66, a civil engineer who was also an early surfer, lifeguard and talented jazz musician, died Monday in Mission Bay Hospital.

He was born in La Jolla and was hired by the City of San Diego as the first lifeguard at Windansea Beach, later becoming lieutenant of the San Diego lifeguards.

Mr. Blankenship graduated from La Jolla High School in 1940 and earned a degree in civil engineering at SDSU in 1959. He and Janet Brandstedt were high school sweethearts and were married in 1944. He remained on the city of San Diego payroll and was assistant engineer on the Mission Bay dredging project from 1959 to 1961. He retired in 1979, having spent much of his working time on inspection jobs in the beach areas.

Mr. Blankenship also played guitar with various groups and combos, ranging from big band orchestras to four-piece combos. He played jazz most of the time, but also liked "Latin beats," a daughter said. In addition to his wife, survivors include three daughters, Jan of Del Mar, Susan of Durango, Colo., and JoAnn Nevils, also of Durango; three brothers and a sister, William, John, Powell and Hope Beason, all of San Diego; and two grandchildren.

Brother of police lifeguard John Blankenship

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