Henry F. Jablonski

Henry F. Jablonski of Christiansburg passed away Sunday, April 26 in Wilmington, Delaware, the city he was born in, after joyfully being reunited with extended family at a wedding celebration Saturday. He was 79.

A Physics alumnus of the University of Delaware, Henry worked for Hercules, Inc. in Salt Lake City, Utah; Princeton, New Jersey; and Radford, Virginia. Each city held milestone memories. While in Salt Lake City, he married fellow Wilmington native Norma (Nicholson), and they were married 53 years when she passed in August 2012. In Princeton, son Neil was born. In Radford, daughter Jennifer was born. A true "rocket scientist," Henry worked on a team demonstrating the reliability of Minute Man and Polaris missile stages in Utah before moving to Southwest Virginia in 1967 to collaborate on designing a Hercules automated manufacturing facility for propellants. He retired from Hercules Inc./Alliant Techsystems in 1995 after 36 years of service. He later returned to work at Valentec Systems, Inc. at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, providing engineering and management services for a manufacturing operation.

Drawn to public service, Henry engaged in extensive service to Montgomery County. Henry was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors for four terms, serving from 1982-97 as the District D representative of the county. During that time, he was elected Chairman of the board three years and Vice Chairman seven years. The entire family worked on his campaigns, helping with door-to-door campaigns, working at voting precincts from open until close, making campaign buttons, and tracking the results at election headquarters on election night.

Henry also served on the Montgomery County Public Service Authority from 1982-97 (Chairman two years, Vice Chairman two years) and the New River Valley Planning District Commission from 1982-97 (Chairman two years, Vice Chairman two years). He enjoyed stints with numerous other county leadership groups, including the Montgomery County Regional Economic Development Commission from 1988-93; the New River Valley Development Corp. from 1985-97 (Vice President, Board of Directors); MBC (Montgomery County, Blacksburg, Christiansburg) Development Corp. from 1990-97 (Board of Directors); the Montgomery County Planning Commission from 1994-96; the Montgomery County/Floyd County Regional Library, Main Branch Building Commission from 1986-87; Montgomery County School Site Selection Committee from 1996-97; and the Riner Fire Station Building Committee from 1984-85 (Chairman). He also served on the Boards of Directors of two nonprofit organizations, Warm Hearth Village and the Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center, and was a past president of United Way. He was the chairman of and a writer for the museum's book project committee, leading to the publishing of the book Virginia's Montgomery County, a 772-page book covering the history of the county.

Henry was also in the United States Air Force Reserves from 1958-63 and graduated from the Aircraft and Engine Mechanics School at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas.

Henry is survived by son Neil Jablonski and wife Dianna of Spotsylvania; daughter Jennifer Jablonski of Columbia, SC; and sisters Pat Allen of Kansas City, Missouri; Nannette Cannon and husband Jim of Wilmington, Delaware; and Mary Julia Stachecki and husband Chester of Dover, Delaware. Henry was predeceased by cherished wife Norma.

The family will receive visitors on Friday, May 1, 2015, from 5-8 p.m.at Horne Funeral Home. A Service celebrating Henry's life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 2, 2015 at Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, 350 Stafford Dr., Christiansburg, with Rev. Charles DeHart officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Cemetery.

The family would like to thank Dr. Carl Hannah and his staff for their care of Henry. The family is also grateful for CPL/3 Bobby F. Boyd Jr. of the Delaware State Police, who handled Henry's death with sensitivity and compassion.

If desired, memorial donations may be made to the University of Delaware Physics Department (University of Delaware (Designated for Physics & Astronomy), Development Office, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716); the Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center (300 South Pepper Street, Christiansburg, VA 24073); or the Southeastern Piano Festival (SEPF, University of South Carolina School of Music, 813 Assembly St., Columbia, SC 29208).