Ida Blackburn Wolk

Ida Blackburn Wolk, long-time resident of Frederick MD died on Monday, January 21, 2019 at the Sunrise Senior Living facility in Reston, VA. Born August 26,1932 in Stahlstown, PA, she was the daughter of John Rush Blackburn and Margaret Maude Stough.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years Anthony Edward Wolk of Frederick and sisters, Betty and husband Frank Tackage and Edna and husband Dean Mowry and niece Tammy Smithers.

She is survived by sons, Timothy Wolk and wife, Mary Jo, of Reston, VA., and John Wolk and wife, Donna, of Phoenix, MD.; and grandchildren, Matthew Wolk, Allison Wolk, Emma Wolk, John Wolk Jr. and Michael Wolk and nephew Tom Tackage and wife Mary of Montgomery,AL.

Ida grew up on the family farm in Stahlstown and attended Ligonier High School. Upon graduation she chose a nursing career that spanned 35 years. She graduated from the Westmoreland Hospital School of Nursing (Greensburg, PA) in 1952 and later became head nurse for the pediatrics unit there. Ida worked at the Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore and Waynesboro, PA Hospital as a registered nurse before moving to Frederick in 1962 when her husband Tony accepted a position with the US Army at Ft. Detrick as an aeronautical engineer. In Frederick, she worked at the Frederick Memorial Hospital (2 Main) and in private practice and until retirement working as a nurse for the Maryland State Health Department

Ida is remembered for her kindness, everlasting positivity, love of family and friends and sense of humor.  She loved spending time in Ocean City, MD with her family and became an avid cross-stitcher.  Ida was a member of the Westmoreland County Nurses Association and the Daughters of the America Revolution.

Ida was a member of the Blackburn family of Westmorland County being related to the early settlers of the Laurel Highlands of western PA. She was named after her aunt - Dr. Ida E. Blackburn, known to be the first female physician in Westmoreland County. Her grandfather – John Anthony Blackburn served with the Grand Army of the Republic during the Civil War.

A funeral service will be held at Evangelical Lutheran Church, 31 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701, on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 11am. Interment will take place on Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 1pm at the Stahlstown Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick in memory of Ida B. Wolk or to the Anthony E. Wolk Senior Thesis Award in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, 27 Old Main, University Park, PA 16802. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.keeneybasford.com