Blount loved teaching, VB, pets
Mike Blount was a popular teacher and volleyball player. Photo courtesy of the family
Long time Hermosa Beach resident Mike Blount passed away Friday October 16 from complications from throat cancer surgery. Blount had been in a coma for 15 months as a result of surgery. He was single, never married and had just purchased a home in San Pedro.
Blount was a Leap Year baby having been born on February 29, 1947. He attended Mira Costa High School and El Camino College where he ran track and cross country. He worked as a delivery driver for Players Liquor in El Porto.
His love of volleyball included plenty of beach games at Marine Street in Manhattan Beach and at 19th and 17th streets in Hermosa. In addition, he organized indoor 6-man volleyball teams that competed on the USVBA circuit.
Blount enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1967 and served overseas in both Germany and Greece. His love of volleyball carried over in the military, where he was a setter on the Air Force team. His skill also earned him playing time on the All-Military Services team.
After the service, he repaired and painted houses in the South Bay and worked as a bartender at the Redondo Beach Chart House. He earned a BS Degree in English at UCLA and subsequently earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration from National University.
He then served as an elementary school science teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. He had a tremendous passion for working with kids in the sciences. He put his English Degree to good use writing financial grant applications to further assist his students.
Blount had two hobbies. The first was exotic plants and succulents. The second were his pets, especially his dog Rambler, Spunky the cat and his tropical fish. Blount had a 150 gallon aquarium where he grew coral and raised exotic sea life.
He is survived by his younger brother Dick, his nephew Jonathan Sang and his niece Stephanie Misak. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in his honor to the Off Lease In Parks Inc. 501C3 # C4546215. Blount was a leader in getting this dog park friendly organization off the ground. Off Lease In Parks Inc. 965 West 8th Street San Pedro, CA 90731. ER