Funeral services for Joseph E. "Dr. Joe" Blankenbeker, 70, former Superintendent of Brownstown Central and South Ripley Community School Corporations; and Indiana Department of Education Official, will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, at St. Luke's United Church of Christ, Jeffersonville, with burial in Walnut Ridge Cemetery, Jeffersonville. He left his earthly home and joyfully entered into the arms of his Heavenly Father on Dec. 23, 2014.. A native of Jeffersonville, he was the fifth child of Gladys Amelia Stemler and Howard Rush Blankenbeker, and was born Nov. 5, 1944. His parents and his older brother, Rollyn Howard Blankenbeker, and his older sister, Carol Sue Potter, predeceased him.. He was the loving husband of Margaret Helen Scholey Blankenbeker for 47 years. From their marriage they have a daughter, Jennifer Elaine Harms and her husband, Tim, Lawrence and three sons, Dr. Timothy Howard Blankenbeker and his wife, Miranda, South Bend, James Clifford Blankenbeker, Louisville and Stephen Joseph Blankenbeker and his wife, Lauren, Wanamaker, They have seven grandchildren, Koryn, Caleb and Adeline Harms, Ella, Evan, Ruby June and Levi Blankenbeker. He is also survived by his sisters, Judith Conrad Storz, Claudia Griffin, and Rita Dean and her husband, Allan.. Joe graduated from Jeffersonville High School in 1962. He completed four degrees from Indiana University, a BA in Social Service, MSW, Educational Specialist and Ed.D. He was a member of Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ where he was a member of the board, sang in the choir, taught Sunday school and chaired the Mission Committee. He was also a member of the Indiana Retired Public School Superintendents, the Indiana Retired Teachers Association, Past President of the Lions Club of Indianapolis, Past District Governor of District 25F of Lions Club International, and recipient in 2004 of Sagamore of the Wabash.. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, at E.M. Coots' Sons Funeral Home, Jeffersonville and after 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church.. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Joe's boyhood church, St. Luke's United Church of Christ, 329 Walnut Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47130 and/or to the Gladys A. (Stemler) Blankenbeker Memorial Scholarship, Greater Clark County Schools, 2112 Utica-Sellersburg Road, Jeffersonville, IN, 47130, Joe's adult church Zion Evangelical United Church Of Christ, Memorial Fund, 603 N. New Jersey St., Indianapolis, IN. 46202-4604. Indiana Lions Cancer Control Fund, Inc., Department of Radiation Oncology, 535 Barnhill Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46202-5289.. Online condolences may be made at www.cootsfuneralhome.com.