July 12, 1945 - March 18, 2022
Karl Alfred Blant was born on July 12, 1945 in Hamilton Ontario Canada to Thadueus Blant and Teresa Joy Hollingshead. He was affectionately nicknamed Kerry by his extended family, a name he would go on to use for the rest of his life.
After third grade, Kerry moved from Canada to Detroit, Michigan. He attended six different elementary schools, from Florida to Canada, until landing in North Miami, Florida to attend high school.
Military Service
Kerry enlisted in the United States Army on December 10, 1965 in Coral Gables, Florida during the Vietnam War. Kerry was trained and served as a Radar Equipment Foreman and saw active combat, earning both the Vietnam Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Kerry was honorably discharged on May 31, 1969.
Educator
After a successful run in the real estate business, Kerry felt unfulfilled. From his time doing volunteer work and political activities, Kerry decided to pursue his passion working with and educating children. He sold his business at the age of forty and took a chance going back to college. Kerry went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts in History at the University of California, San Diego in 1990, where he made the Provost Honors List. He then earned his Teacher Credential from San Diego State University in 1991. Spurred on by his love of teaching, he then went on to earn his Master of Arts in Education from San Diego State University in 2003.
Battle With Cancer
Kerry was diagnosed with stage four oropharynx cancer in 2015, which metastasized to his lymp nodes, intrathoracic, and left lung. He fought bravely against it and continued to live life as fun as he could. During what would become his last few months, Kerry gained a penchant for card games and began to frequent Las Vegas, Nevada to try his luck at the poker tables. Sadly, after complications surrounding a pulmonary embolism, Kerry passed away peacefully on March 18, 2022 surrounded by his family.
Kerry is survived by his wife of 28 years, Teresa Blant; his children Claudia Valenzuela, Karen Montiel, Nadia Blant, and Aidan Blant; and his grandchildren Karelly Valenzuela, Alfonso Catano, and Amirah Guillen.
