Phillip Wayne Blackburn

Phillip Wayne Blackburn, 68, of Mt. Vernon, passed away at his home on March 26, 2026. Wayne was born on April 10, 1957, the son of Phillip G. Blackburn and Judy (Key) Brown.

Wayne was a graduate of Mt. Vernon High School, Class of 1975. He went on to dedicate 47 years of service to CountryMark Refinery. In addition, Wayne worked events at the Ford Center alongside his wife, Makaila, and served as a shuttle driver for Romaine Buick GMC.

Wayne was a fun-loving and caring person who had a deep love for children. He was a member of the Hadi Shriners in Evansville and volunteered with the Transportation Division, where he drove families to and from hospitals. He was especially proud of being able to donate bone marrow to someone in need—just one example of his compassion and generosity toward others. Wayne was also a member of the Scottish Rite and Mt. Vernon Beulah Masonic Lodge.

Wayne enjoyed playing golf and cherished time spent on the course with his many golf buddies. He also had a passion for gardening. He was involved with the St. Benedict Cathedral Bible study group, something he truly came to enjoy. However, his greatest joy in life was being a dad and a proud “Papa” to his grandchildren.

Wayne is survived by his daughter, Whitney (David) Russ; grandchildren, Faith, Ethan, and Axel; sisters, Jayne (Terry) Graves, Julie (Paul) Casaletto, Denise Byrd, and Lisa Wu; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Makaila Blackburn; his parents, Phillip Blackburn;  Marvin and Judy Brown; and his in-laws, Howard and Sharon Roberts.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Denning Family Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, with burial to follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the funeral home from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital. Online condolences may be left at denningfamilyfuneralhome.com.