John Andrew Blough

John Andrew Blough August 31, 1929 - July 11, 2014 John A. Blough, 84, passed away in St. Augustine, Florida, on July 11, 2014, after a lengthy illness. A native of Sandusky, Ohio, he graduated cum laude from the College of Wooster in 1951 with a major in philosophy and a minor in English and American literature. After completing studies in cryptanalysis and Chinese at the Institute of Far Eastern Languages at Yale University, he was decorated for service during the Korean War in the U. S. Air Force Intelligence Service. He spent five years with the Standard Oil Company of Ohio as a marketing and advertising executive following military service. He then joined the Orange School District near Cleveland, Ohio, where he was a teacher, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent. Dr. Blough earned several academic awards on his way to a PhD in Educational Administration at The Ohio State University in 1971, including the Sherwood Shankland Award of the American Association of School Administrators as the nation's outstanding doctoral candidate. He then spent two years as Associate Director of the University Council for Educational Administration, a consortium of 60 universities in the U.S and Canada. Dr. Blough co-authored a social studies textbook series that was used in elementary schools in 26 states and six nations in the 1970s. He became Superintendent of the Bexley (Ohio) Public Schools in 1972 and was named Bexley's Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1979. He was Chairman of the Department of Educational Administration at The University of Akron from 1979 until 1986. In 1989, he moved to St. Augustine, Florida, with his wife, Heidi Csontos Blough. He is survived by his beloved wife, Heidi; his four children, Douglas Blough, Boston, MA; James Blough (Donna), Lowell, MA; Elizabeth Campbell (Matt), Groveport, OH; and Kathryn Blough (Clenn Reed), Ossining, NY; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a brother, James Blough (Lois), Lititz, PA; and a sister, Nancy Wilson (Larry), Kirtland, OH. No public services are planned. Memorial donations may be sent to Boxer Aid & Rescue Coalition, P.O. Box 12963, Tallahassee, Fl. 32317-2963 or a local animal rescue group/humane society. St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.