James Travis Blackwell

James Travis Blackwell (Travis), age 50, of Macon, GA, passed away on Friday, August 11, 2017, following a sudden heart attack. A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, 2017, at Macon Little Theatre, 4220 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA, 31220. The Rev. Beth Boilott will serve as officiant. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either Macon Little Theatre or The Mentors Project of Bibb County. Travis was born in Columbia, SC, on August 30, 1966 to Brenda Murray Blackwell and James Milton Blackwell. He graduated from Irmo High School and attended The College of Charleston. Travis was married to Wayne Lee Mangum, Jr. (Lee), on September 4, 2015, in West Palm Beach, FL. Travis served as Executive Director of Community Partnership, coordinating the Bibb County Family Connection collaborative, a position he had held since 2006. Prior to that, he served as Development Manager for the Tubman Museum, also in Macon, from 2004-2006 and as Development Director for Time Out Youth in Charlotte, NC, from 1997-2004. He was active in numerous civic organizations, among them the Historic Vineville Neighborhood Association in Macon, the Ikebana International Middle GA Chapter, and Unity Spiritual Life Center of Central Georgia in Byron, where he was a board member and attended services. Travis is survived by his husband, his parents, brother Jason Troy Blackwell and sister-in-law Melanie C. Blackwell, nieces Haley and Emily Blackwell and nephew James Blackwell. Additionally, he is survived by sister-in-law Melody M. Gibson, sister-in-law Melynn M. Arendale, brother-in-law Alan Arendale, nieces Ivey M. Hardison and Aubrey Arendale and nephews Avery Arendale, Garrett Gibson and Cam Hardison. Register online at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary, Cherry Street has charge of arrangements.