Bishop Benjamin Mays Blocker, Sr.
(October 20, 1945 - July 13, 2024)
Viewing Location:
Viewing Date & Time:
Funeral Location: Leevy's Funeral Home Chapel, 1831 Taylor Street, Columbia, South Carolina
Funeral Date & Time: Sunday, July 21, 2024 / 2:00 P.M.
Interment Location:
My condolences to the Blocker family, friends and colleagues. My prayers are with you all. May God give you strength and understanding during this difficult time.
Bennie and the Blocker Family were towering figures in our little home town. Bennie will always be remembered for his personal achievements as well as being a great person. Rest in peace Bennie.
My prayer is that God continue to strengthen and keep each of you.
I worked with Mr. Blocker and appreciated his diligent efforts to guide young men through life’s challenges and obstacles. He exemplified manhood with integrity, respect and determination. I’m thankful for his contributions during his life journey.
Norma, sincere condolences are extended to you and your family during this time of bereavement.
My condolences to the Blocker in the untimely death of “Benny”, as he was affectionately to me.”May he rest in Peace”.
Condolences To Family/ Friends/ Homeless People upon the death of our Dear Friend BB, Ph.D.
Bishop Benjamin “Benny” Blocker was a friend of our Family.
In April 2023, My brother, Rev. Robert L. Bateman, Jr. (deceased 5/ 2023), was nearing his end in Columbia. Dr. Willis Ham, a mutual friend, called Ben to help, and he did so without hesitation. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know Robert and had not seen me since 1970. He used his Chaplaincy to soothe the pending pain of death for us.
We laughed, as he used humor to help all of us. He told me how he helps the Homeless People in Columbia, and we followed his advice with my Brother’s legacy. Ben’s death causes my husband, Maj. Albert Chandler, great sadness. We know Ben’s spirit lives, and we continue to feel his joy.
May the Family, Friends, and Community learn to live as Bishop Benjamin Blocker did.
May the fond memories of him get the entire family through this difficult time!🙏🙏🙏. We worked together at SCDJJ. Mr. Blocker would always provide direction and guidance to me as a young black male starting his teaching career. He would explain all the obstacles he endured along the way. He was doing his best to help me avoid these pitfalls. May his soul rest in peace 🙏.
It has all been said. We talked.
While I will miss the strong and spirited conversations, I will remember Ben’s caring spirit for community and the less fortunate.
My condolences to all who loved him.
Bishop Benny Blocker-I call you Co-Worker because we worked together at The Head-Start Training Center in Virginia in the 70’s. We shared many lunches (mostly at Cracker Barrel) – I will miss your smiles and hearty laughter. Knowing you has been a pleasure. Rest in Peace- You will be missed.
To the family, Please accept my heartfelt condolences- I will keep you lifted in Prayer.
Dolores B Braxton Henrico, Virginia
RIP Bro Blocker. Your sunny spirit and effort to make this world a better place will
always be remembered.
RIP Bro Blocker. Your sunny spirit and effort to make this world a better place will
always be remembered.
My condolences to the Blocker family. I was sorry to hear of his passing. He will be missed by many.
Joanie T Atlanta, GA
Dear Blocker Family,
We are so sorry for your loss. We will send prayers of peace and comfort.
The Fitchett Family
My sincere condolences to the Blocker family. I was sorry to hear of his passing. Bennie was always a pleasure and generous person to be around. He will be missed by many.
Joanie T. Atlanta, GA
So sorry for your loss.
My deepest condolences to the family. Ben was a great neighbor, and friend. His counsel, generosity of his time was much appreciated. My Husband and I will miss him dearly
RIP Ben 🙏
Dear Blocker Family,
I am deeply saddened by the loss of Mr. Benjamin Mays Blocker, Sr. He was a remarkable man who held a special place in my heart, much like a father. His wisdom, kindness, and unwavering support have left an indelible mark on my life.
Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. May you find comfort in the cherished memories you have of him and the legacy of love and strength he leaves behind.
With heartfelt condolences,
Victoria Smalls
My condolences to the Blocker family. RIP
My condolences to the Blocker Family. I know that there are many memories that will help you through your grief and eventually your happy times when grief slowly passes.
Ben,
I met your father on a few occasions when we worked together. He was such a sweet man. I saw where you got that side of you from. Mr. Blocker was also with me at the airport that time when you made a special visit happen for me and my daughter. My daughter was a little girl but she forever remembers that day and your dad. He watched over us to make sure we were not squashed by everyone who was trying to jump in front of us to get pictures. He was like our personal guide that day and we both remember him. I wish you peace and blessings upon the loss of a great man. He definitely left a beautiful impression on me and my family so I know he left his footprints on the hearts of your.
Expressing special thoughts of care & concern for my student, ” little Ben”, as your beloved Father, a “Man for All Seasons” for many across this city has travelled the last mile of his earthly sojourn.
As he has now made the great transition, unexpectedly, those of us who knew & admired him will miss his long life of contributions in so many arenas.
May he rest among the the many major players who have recently departed these mundane shores & entered the heavenly gates, to take his rightful place with his Heavenly Father.
He is alright now!
Rest in power my friend & brother!
Lovingly submitted,
M. L. Kohn- CAJ ’76-’94
My sincere condolences to the family. May God bless and comfort you at this difficult time. Ben was a dear friend.
Dearest BB and family – our thoughts and prayers are with you during this challenging time. We wish you comfort and peace. God Bless.
My sincere condolences to the family of Bishop Benjamin Mays Blocker, Sr. I met Bennie nearly 50 years ago when he was appointed Richland County DSS Director. Bennie was the first African American in the state of South Carolina to serve as a county director. This was among many achievements in his life. Many accolades have been stated about Ben. However, for me, his most notable characteristic was his courage to open the door of opportunity for many others without fear of jeopardizing his position or criticism for assisting others to progress. I will miss our contacts, whether in person or via telephone, that continued into retirement and as late as last month.
Ben,
From my family to your family, we offer our condolences for the loss of your Father. It has been a pleasure working with and getting to know you over the last few years, I would have liked to meet your Dad as I am sure he has a similar outlook on life as you do. Stay strong my friend.
Thank you for being there for me as much as you could. Thank you for the love you showed me throughout my life. Thank you for the tough talks and life lessons you imparted to me growing up. Not every lesson stuck, but I learned so much from you regardless. You’ve been one of the biggest influences in my life, and I hope by the time I get to be your age I would have lived up to your name.
I love you old man. You will be missed. You will be remembered.
So say we all.
Our sincere condolence to the family.
Ben,
I am very sorry for your family’s loss. Please find solace and strength in the prayers uplifting your family and in the memory of a life well lived by your father.
To the Blocker family, you will continually be in my thoughts and prayers, but hold onto every memory made to keep Mr. Blocker’s spirit alive.
He is rising with his Master, Savior and Lord!!!
Ben, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers as you lay your dad a rest. His was a life fulfilled and he will be missed by many but he will always be with you. God’s Blessings on you and yours.
Praying for Ben and the rest of the family. May you find comfort knowing he’s in a much better place.
From the Columbia (MD) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Blocker Family for the loss of the family patriarch. You have our thoughts and prayers.
Ben
My deepest heartfelt condolences on the loss of your Father. I pray for you and your family that God sends his comfort to console you on losing such an influential presence in your life.
Our Condolences and Prayers to Ben’s family and friends. He was a good soul who love discussing doctrines and playing politics, at least with, arguing, debating and definitely disagreeing agreeably, we will remember him fondly as our brother in Christ Jesus…Love, Annette & Ramon Balaguer
Ben, your Dad will live on in your memories and in your hearts. 🙏🏼 We are keeping you guys lifted in prayer Big Bro.
Our deepest Condolences and Sincere Prayers goes out to the Entire Blocker Family, May you find comfort strength at these trying times. From the Staff At Surnuff Barber &Style Shop
Block, my condolences to you, your siblings, and entire family. I didn’t have opportunity to meet Bishop Blocker, but he definitely seems to have been a great man of God. I’m sure you’ll all miss him dearly, but just remember Heaven is where he wanted to be. Reflect upon the laughs and love you shared here, and rejoice in knowing he’s home now. -blessings and peace to your family during this difficult time.
Ben, my deepest condolences to you and family. GOD bless!
I was shocked and saddened to learn about Ben’s death. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. I attempted to filled vacancy when he left a Physical Education Teacher’s spot opened at SCDJJ. He was always available for consultation and help to me doing my transition from Guidance Counseling to Health and PE. We continued reaching out to each other long after I retired from SCDJJ 2016.
I’m going to miss our conversations about what we can do to help make the world resemble the Kingdom of God! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Ben,
So sorry for your loss! You and your family will remain in my prayers for strength during this time. I hope you find comfort in the great memories that you have of your father! I know that the weeks and months ahead will be challenging at times, please do not hesitate to call on me if needed. One!
So sorry about the loss of Ben. He was a load of fun and laughs. I enjoyed his company and was looking forward to being in his presence to hear him relate those funny antedotes. He will be missed by all the friends who cared so deeply about him.
Peace, Bangwa
My heart is heavy with the news of Bishop Blocker passing. I’m praying for you and your family during this difficult time.
Chaplain Blocker was a positive contribution to the community. Though we will miss him dearly, we find comfort knowing that he is in the presence of the Lord, free from pain and at peace.
May God’s love and grace bring you comfort and strength now and in the days to come. You have my deepest sympathies.
My condolences and prayers are with the Blocker family. May you rest in peace with the Lord my brother and friend for life. ❤️🌹🦾🙏🏿🙏🏿
Ben and I grew up in thew same neighborhood and we shared the same birthday but six years apart. He and his brothers often played with the other kids and often offered words of advice to us younger kids. His mother was my first grade teacher. When we ran into each other, he often told everybody that he “helped raise” me. A great friend and mentor.
You have touched the lives of many people in a positive way. It’s time to get your rest. This is a road we all will travel one day so I won’t say goodbye my friend. I’ll se you later!
After reading the wonderful comments from Bishop Redfern I have nothing to say but I Truly Thank You for Your Support and Friendship. You have corrected me and help me adjustments in my life that I will forever hold close. You were on my mind just a week ago. Your transition came as a shock. To the Family I hold you all in my thoughts and prayers earnestly. You all were in the company of a Great and Wonderful Human Being. I will miss you saying Hello there young lady so respectfully. Go take your place with the FATHER. I will miss you. 💙🕊️
Sending our deepest sympathy and condolences and prayers to the family and relatives.
Condolences to the Mays and Blocker family. Ben and I worked together for many years at DJJ. At work, we laughed a lot. We shared many war stories and many memories. We played against each other and had heavy debates about the battles between Morehouse, Benedict, and SC State. Ben was a great guy, a great athlete, and a really good friend. He will surely be missed by all who knew him. Rest in peace Ben, rest in peace.
Condolences to the Blocker family. Sleep in Heavenly Peace Big Boss!
Condolences to the family. He will be missed! Sleep in Heaven Peace Big Boss!
Dr. Benjamin Mays Blocker was truly his brother’s keeper. Our heartfelt prayers to his family
The Family of the late Milton B. Greene
Ben, our neighbor will be missed but never forgotten. Prayers lifted for his family.
Alecia & Clayton Bryant
My sincere condolences to the Blocker family.🙏
With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of Bishop Benjamin Mayes Blocker, Ph.D., a towering figure in our community and a beacon of faith, service, and leadership. Bishop Blocker’s unwavering dedication to the Ecumenical Church of Christ and his profound impact on countless lives will be remembered and cherished forever.
Bishop Blocker’s legacy is of extraordinary devotion and relentless pursuit of justice and equality. He was a spiritual leader and a visionary who sought to bridge divides and foster unity among all people. His contributions extended beyond the church walls, influencing education, social action, and civil rights in ways that have left an indelible mark on society.
His wisdom, compassion, and tireless efforts to uplift the marginalized and voiceless will continue to inspire future generations. Bishop Blocker’s life was a testament to the power of faith in action, demonstrating that true leadership is rooted in love, humility, and a steadfast commitment to serving others.
As we mourn the loss of this great leader, we also celebrate his life and the profound impact he had on our world. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all those who were touched by his remarkable spirit.
May we honor Bishop Dr. Benjamin Mayes Blocker’s memory by continuing the work he so passionately pursued, striving to build a more just, compassionate, and unified world.
Rest in peace, Bishop Blocker. Your legacy will live on in our hearts and actions.
With deepest sympathy and respect,
Redfern II
The Presiding Bishop and General Overseer
Ecumenical Church of Christ
I send my sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Benjamin Blocker. He was a good friend and former coworker. He was always full of laughs and joking a lot.He will be missed by many people I’m sure because he was well liked.
Mr..Ben..was a great director for housing authority..l have nothing but great things to say about this Man of God…he was very friendly and respectful.. .he went out of his way to help others..This is definitely a great loss but he definitely left a great impact..
I am truly heartbroken to hear about the passing of Mr. Ben Blocker. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.
I knew Mr. Blocker as Coach Blocker when he worked at Eau Claire High. He was such a wonderful and pleasant person.
Years later, I ran into Coach Blocker at New Life Gym on Two Notch Road. I will always hold Coach Blocker near and dear to my heart, as he was responsible for introducing me to my husband, Roger Hoefer. Coach and my husband continued to nurture their relationship over the years, encouraging one another as they transitioned through life.
Coach Blocker will be missed but never forgotten. Rest well, Coach Blocker.
There are no words to express the depth of my loss and pain.
To Ben’s family, I send my heartfelt condolences🍃🌹🍃.
Ben and I have been close friends for more than forty years.
He was a gentle giant. He was his own unique person. Full of jokes and that laugh would make anyone laugh.
As Deputy Director at the Columbia Housing Authority, Ben gave me my first job after my divorce. I was a terrified mother with three small children. Then, many years later I assisted him in obtaining a teaching position at DJJ where I was teaching. He continued to thank me through the years. I had done the same with thanking him for landing me on my feet as a young single mother.
We NEVER lost contact.
I spoke with Ben just one day before his tragic accident that ultimately took him from us. We made lunch plans to connect soon.
This is a hard one for me BUT knowing Ben as well as I did, he is where he wanted to be. We had many discussions on our wishes as we aged and he is now at total peace. .
I find comfort in the three visits to the hospital prior his transition, especially the last . He was able to express how thankful he was for our lifelong friendship.
Rest well Ben. You are now with your two brothers and your parents. You adored your mother. I know that you are now at peace. 🙏🏽🕊️💜🤍✝️