Howard Blanc Cockrum, of Knoxville, died February 11, 2010. He attended Carson-Newman College until his schooling was interrupted by WWII, during which he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces. When the war ended, Mr. Cockrum earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, College of Engineering. He worked briefly for the Knoxville Utilities Board and then returned to military service as a navigator in B-29 bombers during the Korean War, flying scores of dangerous missions over enemy territory. Following that war, he began his long career as a business owner in Knoxville, building houses, grading roads, developing real estate and finally owning Duracap Asphalt and Paving Company.