Robert J Blackwood

Died: Nov. 21, 2024, at Reflections, Morningstar, Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

He is survived by his second wife, Diane Grey Blackwood, and his daughter, Monica Blackwood Leveck, his brother Dennis Blackwood and his sister, Mary Blackwood Pick. Additional surviving family are Monica Leveck’s husband Thomas Leveck; three step children, Shawn Alexander Miller, Nicholas Daniel Miller and Amanda Tulane Miller Trower. Five grandchildren: Inez Milee-Miller, Donovan Trower, Jay Miller, Kane Trower and Conner Milee-Miller.

Bob Blackwood moved to New Mexico in 2012 where he continued writing film reviews for the Columbia River Reader. His last film review was written in November of 2019. He has three published non-fiction books related to his film reviews:

From The Silent Era to the “The Sopranos”: Italian American Gangsters in Trend-Setting Films and Television Shows

Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films (co-author John L. Flynn PH.D.)

Everything I Know About Life I Learned From James Bond (co-author John L. Flynn PH.D.)

From 2006-2007 he served as President of the International Press Club of Chicago.

Bob Blackwood was a writer for a number of publications. His longest-running relationship was with the College Union Voice of the Cook County College Teachers Union. He served as the assistant editor in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, as a contributor after that, and as the managing editor from 2002-2005 then as the Webmaster of the CCCTU and photojournalist for the CCCTU until 2012.

From 1989-2006 he was a contributor to Fra Noi, “Chicagoland’s Italian American Voice.” He said that working with Chicago’s Italian-American community was an entrée to the finest restaurants, the cleverest attorneys, the most competent accountants and the most genuine human beings of any group in Chicagoland.

“Dr. Bob,” as his students called him when they were in a relaxed frame of mind, served as a professor of English and Communications Media at Wright College from 1967-2000. At Wright, he taught English, Literature, Motion Picture Appreciation and Photography. He received his BA from St. Joseph’s College (IN) and his Ph.D. in English literature from Loyola University (IL) in 1972. He took great pride in his published film criticism for various publications and in cooking for his family and friends.

“It’s a great life,” Dr. Bob said. “My father put in 8-9 hours a day in an office; my uncles worked in a steel mill. Teaching people is the best way to make a living; it helps you to know yourself and keep yourself young.”

Other sources for quotations:

Former Public Relations Director Jackie Pledger Skwerski,

former President Chuck Guengerich, former English Department Chair Harriet Rosenman—Wright College.

From 2006-2007 he served as President of the International Press Club of Chicago.