Former NASM Chairman Hayden Blaylock Passes Away

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Lawrence "Hayden" Blaylock, former chairman of the National Association of Shell Marketers (NASM), passed away on Feb. 6. 

Blaylock served on the NASM board of directors from 1991-2007 and was chairman for two separate terms, in 2000-2001 and 2003-2004.

Born in 1930 and raised in Miami, he began his career in the petroleum industry with Standard Oil Co. He opened his own fuel distributorship, Blaylock Oil Co., in 1962 and was a wholesaler for Sinclair, BP, Fina, Texaco, Chevron and Shell Oil. Blaylock was well known throughout the industry for his integrity and work ethic, according to his obituary. 

He was also remembered for his dry, but witty humor and his ability to find the good in anything. 

"When Mr. B spoke, you were never quite sure what would come flying out of his mouth, but you could absolutely be sure it was the truth. He lived by the motto: People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel," his obituary recounted. "After meeting him for the first time, you knew you had a lifelong friend — if he liked you!"

According to his family, Blaylock was most proud of co-creating the Texaco Hemingway Key West Classic charity fishing tournament, which to date has raised more than $2.5 million for the National Mental Health Association and more than $600,000 for the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami.

Blaylock was married to his wife Josephine for 36 years until her passing in 1998. He is survived by son Larry Blaylock, daughter Crystal Blaylock and grandsons Matthew Hayden and Cameron Jared Sanchez.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Diabetes Research Institute, as it was Blaylock's dying wish to find a cure for his grandson.