97-02-12 Funeral Arrangements for Michael Blankenship

                           NEWS ADVISORY:
       FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR OFFICER MICHAEL BLANKENSHIP

     The funeral for Ohio State University police officer Michael 
Blankenship will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14, at 
Mershon Auditorium on the Ohio State campus.  The funeral is open 
to the public, and there will be free parking in the Arps and 
Ohio Union garages, located just north and south of Mershon. Both 
garages are accessible from High Street and College Avenue.  
Family and police officers planning to join the motorcade to the 
cemetery are asked to park in the Ohio Union garage.  All others 
should park in the Arps garage.

     The service will be conducted by three clergy: Father Leo 
Connolly, a chaplain for the Fraternal Order of Police; the Rev. 
Aaron Wheeler, a relative of Officer Blankenship; and the Rev. 
Alice Herman, chaplain at Ohio State University Hospitals.  
President E. Gordon Gee will speak on behalf of the university 
community.  Music will be provided by an organist and a vocalist 
who are both members of the Columbus Police Department, and the 
Ohio State University School of Music.

     Burial will follow at Sunset Cemetery in Galloway, where the 
graveside services will include a helicopter flyover, flag 
presentation to the family, and bagpiper and bugler playing 
"Taps."

Timeline: Mershon service should begin on time; all following 
event times are approximate:

9:30 a.m.     Ohio State University police motorcade escorts
              hearse and family from the Shoemaker Funeral Home,
              2830 Cleveland Ave.  A six-person honor guard,
              representing the five law enforcement agencies that
              Officer Blankenship worked for during his 20-year
              career will accompany the casket.  The agencies are
              Franklin Township, Perry Township and Hilliard City
              police departments, Franklin County Sheriff's
              Department, and the OSU Police Department.

9:30 a.m.     Mershon Auditorium opens for public seating
              and media set-up.

9:45 a.m.     Motorcade arrives at Mershon Auditorium

10:30 a.m.    Funeral services begin.

11:30 - noon  Service ends

12:15 p.m.    Motorcade to cemetery leaves from Ohio Union 
              parking garage.  This is expected to include an
              extensive line of cars, up to 2 miles in length
              and including up to 900 police officers from Ohio
              and neighboring states, and nearly every Big 10
              university.

              Route of the motorcade is west on Lane Avenue to
              Riverside Drive (Route 33), south on Riverside to
              Trabue Road, west on Trabue to Rome-Hilliard Road,
              south on Rome-Hilliard to West Broad Street,
              west on Broad to Sunset Cemetery, 6959 W. Broad St.

1:15 p.m.     Services at cemetery.  Expected to conclude by
(approx.)     2 p.m.

Media guidelines:
Media may cover all public aspects of the funeral -- the 
motorcades, the services in Mershon Auditorium and the graveside 
rites.  Cameras will be permitted in the auditorium, but must use 
the existing lighting.  No auxiliary lighting will be allowed, 
including flash photography.  Media seating and camera positions 
will be in the front of the balcony.  A mult box will be 
provided.  All reporters and photographers must stay in the media 
section. Photography inside the auditorium must take place from 
the media section.  The family does not wish to give any 
interviews; we ask that you respect their wishes and do not 
approach them.  The university is grateful for the assistance of 
the local news media in dealing with this tragedy and  
appreciates continued sensitivity toward the Blankenship family. 

Candlelight memorial 
Students have organized a public candlelight memorial event for 6 
p.m. Thursday (2/13) in the plaza in front of the Wexner Center. 
Speakers will include President Gee; John Carney, president of 
Undergraduate Student Government; and possibly an Ohio State 
police officer. One thousand candles will be provided.  The 
family will not attend.

Calling hours at Shoemaker Funeral Home
6 to 8 p.m. tonight (Feb. 12), with F.O.P. service at 7:30 p.m.
2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with Masonic service at 7:30 p.m. 

Contact: Ruth Gerstner, University Communications, 292-8424.


[Submitted by: Von Vargas  (vargas.12@osu.edu)
               
Wed, 12 Feb 1997 15:35:42 -0500 (EST)]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.