Candra Denae Blackburn Alaniz, a devoted mother, loving wife, and faithful woman of God, passed away on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the age of 38.
Born on October 6, 1987, in Ashland, Kentucky, Candra spent much of her life in Prestonsburg, where she built a home filled with love, laughter, and the kind of warmth that people who knew her will carry for the rest of their lives.
She was the daughter of James A. and Ramona Blackburn, and from an early age, family was the center of everything she did.
Those who were close to her say that quality never changed. As she grew older and built her own family, Candra poured herself into the people she loved with the same wholehearted devotion she had known since childhood.
Candra was the beloved wife of Adam Alaniz, and together they raised a family that reflected her gentle spirit and determined heart. She leaves behind six children who will carry her memory forward every day.
Her son, Logan Shepherd, of Prestonsburg, and her five daughters, Trinity Carr, Adalyn Alaniz, Lyllynn Alaniz, Cheyanne Alaniz, and Ashley Alaniz, are spread across communities in Kentucky but bound together by the love their mother gave so freely.
Anyone who saw Candra with her children knew quickly that motherhood was not just a role she filled but a calling she embraced completely.
Her faith was a steady and defining part of who she was. Candra was a member of Pleasant Home Baptist Church, and her belief informed the way she lived, the way she treated others, and the grace she carried even through difficult times.
Friends and family have spoken of a woman who never made her faith feel distant or performative but lived it in quiet and consistent ways through her kindness, her patience, and her willingness to show up for the people around her.
Candra is also survived by her brother, James Ethan Blackburn of Lexington, Kentucky, and by two grandmothers who loved her dearly, her maternal grandmother Peggy Wright Hall and her paternal grandmother Margaret Spurlock Blackburn.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Adam, her maternal grandfather Richard “Dickie” Hall, and her paternal grandfather, Adrian “Abo” Blackburn.
The loss of Candra at 38 has left a space in Prestonsburg and in the hearts of everyone who knew her that cannot easily be described. She was at a time in life when so much still lay ahead, and the grief her family carries is as deep as the love she gave.
Her children will grow up knowing who their mother was not only through memory but through the values she instilled and the example she set.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. in the Hall Funeral Home Chapel in Martin, Kentucky, with Dr. Mark Tackett officiating.
The family will receive visitors beginning at 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Hall Funeral Home, located at 331 KY Route 122 in Martin, is directing the arrangements.
Candra Denae Blackburn Alaniz was a woman who loved her family, honored her faith, and made her corner of the world a little better simply by being in it. She will be deeply missed.
