John A. Blanks Sr., 87, retired Small Business Administration official

John Andrew Blanks Sr. once teamed up with the civil rights leaders Cecil B. Moore and the Rev. Leon  Sullivan to promote desegregation in the workforce of businesses in Philadelphia.

Mr. Blanks, 87, of Philadelphia, a retired Small Business Administration official, died Wednesday, Jan. 25, of cancer at Einstein Medical Center.

Born in Clarkton, N.C., in 1930 to Oscar and Lottie Blanks, Mr. Blanks was the third of 10 children.  He attended schools in North Carolina and later joined the Army, where he served as a radio repair technician during the Korean War. Afterward, he earned a bachelor's degree in industrial arts from North Carolina A&T University.

In his late 20s,  Mr. Blanks moved to Philadelphia in search of  better job opportunities, said a son, Steven Sr.  He and his former wife, Revella Blanks, raised their children in Germantown.

"He took us to baseball games at Connie Mack Stadium and we went to Atlantic City every summer," said another son, John A. Jr.   "We would ride bikes, get in the water, have salt-water taffy and play games at the amusement parks."

For a while, Mr. Blanks owned a small business called Veterans Television Repair. He enjoyed tinkering with electronics, a skill he learned in the Army.

"We used to hear commercials about his repair shop on both the Louise Williams and the Mary Mason radio shows," John Blanks Jr. said. He said the family also heard the legendary DJ Georgie Woods reading commercials about their father's business. It gave his children a  sense of pride.

Mr. Blanks also worked as a life insurance agent and as a sales representative.  When he started at the SBA, where he administered loans,  Mr. Blanks worked with community leaders such as  Moore and Sullivan,  granddaughter Jasmine Blanks said.

She  described Mr. Blanks  as "straight-forward and caring," and said he influenced his grandchildren to be determined to better themselves.

"He said that  education was really important to human development and human thriving, and that we should put our efforts into becoming the best selves we can be,"  Jasmine Blanks said.

Mr. Blanks loved fishing, and when he lived in North Carolina, he enjoyed hunting. He  was a member of Second Macedonia Baptist Church and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, his family said.

In addition to his sons and granddaughter, Mr. Blanks is survived by his former wife; daughters Armelda Bracey Jones and Sharon;  three sisters; a brother;  seven grandchildren; and  11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were Wednesday, Feb. 1.