Blaine John Waldrop

Blaine John Waldrop, born on September 13, 1988, in Renton, Washington, passed away unexpectedly on January 21, 2025, in Bradyville, Tennessee. He was a beloved son, brother, and friend who touched the lives of many.

Growing up, Blaine exhibited a deep passion for sports, particularly baseball, where he shone brightly as a star pitcher from the age of four through high school. His prowess on the field was rivaled only by his talents in soccer, as he played with an elite club in Spokane, embodying the competitive spirit and love for the game that defined his youth.

He lived a significant portion of his school years in Spokane before moving to Florida. However, Washington State and the friends he made in school there kept calling to him. He decided to juggle the graduation requirements of Florida and figure out a way to graduate with his original classmates in Spokane. Following spring break of his senior year in Florida he reenrolled in Spokane and graduated there. 

After graduating high school, he returned to Florida to pursue his dream of becoming ASE certified in auto mechanics. Concurrently, he gained valuable experience working at a Honda dealership in Jacksonville during the week and held a supervisory position at the local bus terminal on weekends. His journey took him to South Carolina, where he settled with his mother, eventually securing a position at Mahle Behr. Though the closure of the plant led him to seek new opportunities in Tennessee, he embraced every challenge, demonstrating a resilience that was remarkable.

Blaine was a complex soul, reserved yet able to talk to anyone. He shared a profound spiritual connection, raised under the influence of a Lutheran upbringing from his mother. He held his beliefs dear but found solace in reading the Bible rather than attending regular services. With a keen intellect and a mechanically inclined mindset, he spent countless hours working on trucks and vehicles, indulging his passion for all things mechanical. The outdoors called to him, whether it was snowmobiling with his grandfather, Roland, and uncle, Jim, snowboarding under the watchful eye of his father, or enjoying boat rides on the serene lakes of the Northwest, Blaine found joy in nature and animals.  He was happy when he found an abandoned puppy to rescue. He named him Bear and they became close companions. 

He is survived by his loving mother, Sandra Sisk Gohl of North Charleston, SC, his step-father, Ted Gohl of Columbia, SC, his sister, Stephanie Johnson of Idaho, his cherished grandmother, Geraldine Sisk, and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins, including Karen (John) Cunningham, Angela Waldrop, Jim Capparelli, Mark Waldrop, Michael Sisk, Tyler and Kaitlin Capparelli, Jazzlyn and Joseph Waldrop, along with many friends, and his beloved dog, Bear.

Blaine's legacy is also marked by the absence of beloved family members who have departed this world before him: his father, Erik Waldrop, his grandfather, Roland Sisk, and his grandparents, Darrell and Kay Waldrop.

Though he leaves behind a world dimmed by his absence, Blaine was a soul who knew how to connect with those around him, and through cherished memories, his spirit will forever echo in the hearts of his family and friends.

The family would like to express a special thanks to Heritage Hill Farm Boarding for taking in Bear after Blaine's passing, until Blaine's mom could come to take him home. The family has requested anyone who wishes to make a memorial donation in Blaine's memory direct those donations to the Heritage Hill Farm Boarding through the funeral home. 

Share memories and condolences with the family at www.gentrysmithfuneralhome.com Gentry-Smith Funeral Home, 303 Murfreesboro Rd. Woodbury, TN 37190, 615-563-5337. Because every life has a story.