Harold Ray Blacka, 78, of Stuarts Draft, passed away on Saturday, November 30, 2019.

He was born March 14, 1941 in Augusta County to the late Rupert A. and Helen R. Blacka.

Harold grew up at Shenandoah Acres Resort in Stuarts Draft, which his family owned and operated for 70 years.  As Vice President, Treasurer, and Campground Manager at "The Acres" for decades, Harold welcomed thousands of people and made many dear friends.  He was a member of the Shenandoah Valley Travel Association and the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association for many years.

Harold attended Wilson Memorial High School in the days before eighth grade existed.  Many of his classmates graduated in 1958, but Harold returned as a fifth year postgraduate student and received his diploma in 1959.  He went on to attend Davis & Elkins College and Blue Ridge Community College.  He also served proudly as a radar technician in the United States Marine Corps from 1961-1964.

After retiring from the family business, Harold worked as a substitute school bus driver for Augusta County, shuttled cars for Charlie Obaugh, and helped with food pick-ups for the Calvary United Methodist Church Food Pantry.

An avid skier throughout much of his adult life, Harold volunteered as a ski patroller at Massanutten Resort and enjoyed annual ski trips to Utah with his brother and friends.  Harold faithfully participated in his daughter's sports events throughout her childhood and college years.  He also supported Stuarts Draft High School sports for years.  He often could be found on the sidelines or in the dugout of a girls' softball game, raking the long-jump pits at a track meet, or working chains at a football game. He also enjoyed celebrating his birthday with a good game of Irish Road Bowling.

A voracious reader who passed down his love of reading to his daughter and granddaughters, Harold kept a book going in nearly every room of the house.  He shared books back and forth with his brother and kept a running list of the books he had read.

Caught in the right mood, Harold could "hold forth" with his comedic stories and performances. He often recounted tales of his Marine Corps days on Parris Island at Camp Lejeune and in Yuma, AZ.  In high school, he performed in plays and variety shows and regaled friends with memorized Andy Griffith monologues like "What it Was, Was Football." On Thanksgiving Day, just before Harold passed away, he entertained family with stories of folks from "the good ol' days" in Stuarts Draft.

Harold is survived by his wife of 49 years, Elise Fitzgerald Blacka; one daughter, Aaron Doyle and husband Brian, of Blacksburg; two sisters, Rosalie Havenner and husband George, of Charlottesville, and Joyce Miller and husband Ken, of Staunton; three brothers, Jack Blacka, of Stuarts Draft, Ed Blacka and wife Catherine, of Columbia, MD, and Tom Blacka and wife Nancy, of Charlotte, NC.  Affectionately known as "Big H" to many, Harold also leaves behind two granddaughters, Hadleigh and Audrey Doyle, of Blacksburg, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Harold was preceded in death by his brother, Barry E. Blacka.

A service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, December 5, 2019, at Finley Memorial Presbyterian Church by the Revs. Tommy Carrico and David Vaughan. Interment will follow at Calvary United Methodist Church Cemetery. Military Honors by American Legion Post 340.   The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, December 4, 2019, at McDow Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad or Calvary United Methodist Church Food Pantry.