Thomas Russell Blair, 1932-2012

BLAIR, WHITE, HOCKETT, KLINGBEIL, KIRCHNER, DEVORE, WITTROCK, GRIESE

Posted By: Mary SIcard (email)
Date: 9/29/2013 at 18:53:13

ESTHERVILLE - Mass of Christian burial for Thomas Blair, 79, of Estherville will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 5 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Estherville with Monsignor Michael Sernett, celebrant. Military graveside rites by VFW Post 3388 and American Legion Post 91 of Estherville will be held at St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery. He died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Avera Holy Family Health in Estherville.

Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel in Estherville with a vigil prayer service at 7:30 p.m.

Thomas Russell Blair the son of Russell and Esther (White) Blair was born Dec. 29, 1932 in Lake Park, Iowa.

He received his education in Elkton, S.D. schools. Tom served in the United States Air Force for four years.

On June 6, 1959 he was united in marriage to Jean Hockett at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Milford. Following their marriage, the couple moved to Sioux Falls, S.D., and Tom attended Stewart School of Hairstyling. The couple moved to Estherville and he worked for Stewarts Hairstyling for a short time. He then worked at Sun Beam and Old Home Bread Plants. Tom started his career as a salesman with Sears and then started his light bulb sales with Durotest and H&H Industries. Tom enjoyed spending time with his family. They would get together as a family every Sunday afternoon. He also enjoyed attending his grandchildren's sporting events, feeding the birds, gardening and spending time with his special dog, Teddy.

He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

Left to cherish Tom's memory are his wife, Jean of Estherville; children, Brenda Klingbeil and her husband, Ron; Lisa Kirchner and her husband, Bob, all of Estherville; Brian Blair and his wife, Lori of Elbow Lake, Minn.; Crystal Blair of Spirit Lake; Brandon Blair and his wife, Shannon; Lindsey DeVore and her husband, Doug, all of Estherville; 18 grandchildren; two great-grandsons; sister, Berniece Wittrock and her husband, Roy of Omaha, Neb.; sister-in-law, Arlene Hockett of Estherville; Dave and Darlene Griese of Richfield, Minn., and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He has been preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Don; three sisters, Edna, Shirley and Beverly and brothers-in-law, Don Hockett and John McBreen. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, September 3, 2012)