Pastor Blanks

BLANKS, Pastor Robert L., Jr. - Age 60, went home to be with the Lord, Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at Genesys Health Park. Family hour 11:30 a.m. at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 1083 E. Stewart Ave., with funeral service commencing immediately at 12 Noon. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 11:30 a.m. Monday. Pastor Blanks will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 10-6 p.m. Sunday with Praise Service from 4-6 p.m. Pastor Robert L. Blanks, Jr. (a.k.a. Suit Man) was born Thursday, September 7, 1950 to the late Reverend Robert L. and Sister Ludell Blanks, Sr. He accepted Christ and was baptized at an early age at Metropolitan Tabernacle by Dr. S.D. Edwards and later became a member of Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, where he served in multiple positions. Rev. Blanks attended Flint Northwestern and Beecher High Schools and went on to Mott Community College and majored in Music. After graduating in 1969 he began working for the trucking firm Blanks and Conerly and General Motors, where he later retired after 24 years. He also owned his own business along with his brother, Johnnie Blanks, Sr. called Fashion Extravaganza at the Oak Brook Business Center. Rev. Blanks served as the Financial Secretary for the Baptist Minister Alliance for many years. While attending Revival held by the late Rev. Dr. Anthony Robinson and his father the late Rev. Robert L. Blanks, Sr. at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church of Ann Arbor, MI. He met his lovely devoted, (a.k.a MoLisa) Cynthia Denise Robinson and was united in marriage on October 4, 1975. To this union were added three children; Robert Anthony Blanks, Maurice Terrell Blanks and David Eugene Arnold Blanks. Pastor Blanks accepted his call to the ministry in 1994, and was licensed to preach and became Associate Minister under the leadership of Rev. Troy Lee, Jr. of the Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church of Mt. Morris, MI. While living in Ypsilanti, he weekly traveled back and forth to Flint to attend Sunday worship as well as Wednesday Bible services. On his way to Flint one day in 2004 as he was passing Fenton Road on the highway, he saw a rainbow and God revealed to him “The Promise” and he became the Proud Pastor of The Promise Missionary Baptist Church in 2004. The first church service was held at 3970 N. Saginaw Street, Flint, MI. The Promise then moved to Mince Manor, where the space was donated for 1 year. After leaving Mince Manor, The Promise Missionary Baptist Church rented a suite at 1207 Ballenger Hwy., Flint, MI. The Promise was also blessed to have two churches that allowed them to hold their afternoon services. Those churches were The Cross Missionary Baptist Church, where Pastor is Rev. Albert Hare and Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, where the Pastor is Rev. Morris A. Collins, Sr. On November 1, 2009, God blessed Pastor Blanks and The Promise Missionary Baptist Church to enter into their new church home at 1058 E. Bundy Ave., Flint, MI. He was a very loving, caring, and devoted Pastor to the church and family. Everything Pastor Blanks taught came strictly from the Bible. He was a father figure to many and was lovingly called “Pops.” Pastor Robert L. Blanks, Jr. leaves to cherish his memory: devoted wife of 36 years, Cynthia Blanks; 4 sons, Robert Anthony (Shenna) Blanks, Maurice Blanks, David Blanks and Le’Andre Beard; niece/daughter, Erica (Tremayne) McLilley; 11 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; a host of special nieces and nephews; 2 special adopted sons, Sammy Robinson of Houston, TX and Dale Brown of Ypsilanti, MI; sisters, Martha R. Derricks, Margaret Darlene Blanks, Carolyn Blanks and Valerie Mangham, all of Flint; brothers, Michael (Tameka) Blanks, LeAndre Alexander and Stanley Gaither; a host of other relatives and friends including very special cousin, Ira Rutherford and very special friends that he held in high regards, spiritual father Pastor Albert Hare, along with Deacon Larry D. Smith, Rev. Danyiel Griffin, Rev. Otis Murphy, Rev. Morris Collins, Sr., Rev. Ryan Mixon, Sr., Rev. James Beamon, Rev. Ira Jenkins, Rev. Ernest & Diane Martin, Lawrence E. & Valaria J. Conerly-Moon, Attorney Kenneth Scott, William Cargo, PJ Pointer, Russel & Alberta Bethay and many more too many to name. Pastor Blanks was preceded in death by his father, Rev. Robert L. Blanks, Sr.; mother, Ludell Blanks; 2 brothers, Johnie Blanks, Sr. and Samuel Blanks, Sr.; and sister, Toi Blanks.

Pastor Blanks

September 7, 1950 - August 23, 2011