April 22, 1949 – September 17, 2025
On September 17, 2025, Philip G. Blackford Sr. returned home to the Kingdom of God. He passed early that morning after courageously battling leukemia for more than eight months.
Phil was born on April 22, 1949, to Chet and Rita Blackford. He was the eighth of twelve siblings raised in Denver, Colorado. Soon after high school, he met and married Tresea L. Barnes, and together they began a family. After having three boys, Phil purchased an empty lot near Ouray, Colorado, where he, his father, and his brother Rick built the home in which he and Teri would raise their children.
While working out of town to support his family, Phil built wood-burning stoves and car trailers, which he sold to members of the community. From those humble beginnings, he launched a fabrication shop in his garage that grew into a successful welding and excavation business. His legacy is etched into the landscape of Ouray and surrounding counties: a stretch of road on Engineer Pass cribbed by Phil, bridges placed by his hand, and ironwork at Box Canyon Falls and the adjacent Ice Park that stands as a monument to his labor.
He plowed and maintained roads for mines and housing estates, dug countless foundations, and approached every project with efficiency, precision, and pride. Above all, he worked to care for his three children, seven grandchildren, and the love of his life.
Outside of family and work, Phil’s passion was collecting classic automobiles. He loved taking them on day trips throughout the state.
Phil made an incredible impact on the lives of his family, friends, and community. He embodied generosity and selflessness, and inspired many with his unwavering kindness. Though his absence will be deeply felt, his legacy will live on.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Teri; his sisters, Frances Day-Colbert, Linda Breffle, Roberta Chase, Angela Pierce, Maureen Blackford, and Carol Black; his brothers, Jim and Rick; his three sons, Phil Jr. (Carrie), Tony (Gretchen), and Scott (Tokin); his grandchildren, Kevin (Ivette), Alex, Jeremy, Anna (Levi), Brooks, Parker, and Bailey; his great-granddaughter, Iliana; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service has been scheduled for Monday, Sept. 29, at 10 a.m. at St. Daniel’s Catholic Church in Ouray, with burial services immediately following at Cedar Hill Cemetery and then a lunch gathering in the hall below St. Daniel’s Church.
Ouray County Plaindealer • 2025
