Blalock retires after nearly 50 years of ministry

After serving churches from north Alabama to south Florida for the past 49 years, Herschel Blalock of Clanton retired in May.

Blalock began his ministry in 1958 at age 28 after serving in the Navy. He entered seminary four years later and graduated in 1966 from Baptist Bible Institute (now Baptist College of Florida) in Graceville, Fla. After suffering a heart attack in 2002, Blalock cut back on his full-time schedule, but he continued to serve as an interim pastor and supply preacher in the Chilton County area until his retirement.

Blalock’s pastorates included Friendship Baptist Church, Malone, Fla.; First Baptist Church, Rainbow City; the former First Baptist Church, Key West, Fla.; Sardis Springs Baptist Church and Midway Baptist Church, both in Athens; Capshaw Baptist Church; New Cedron Baptist Church, Billingsley; and Maple Springs Baptist Church and New Salem Baptist Church, both in Clanton.

He and his wife, Lois, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Aug. 9. The Blalocks are now members of Concord Baptist Church, Clanton, in Chilton Baptist Association.