Madeleo W. Blake

BLAKE, WAGNER, FOWLER, SMITH, KEMP, BUDDS, HUMPHREYS, FULLER, VOGT, SCRANTON

Posted By: Judy Kelley (volunteer) (email)
Date: 5/26/2009 at 18:56:23

Wapello Republican, August 3, 1995

Funeral services for 81 year old Madeleo W. Blake of Letts, Iowa were held on Monday, July 31, 1995 at the Stacy-Lewis Funeral Home, Columbus Junction, Iowa. Visitation was held at the funeral home on Sunday. Madeleo died on Wednesday, July 26, 1995 in Toledo, Iowa while on RAGBRAI. A memorial has been established at the funeral home. Burial was in the Letts Cemetery, Letts, Iowa.

Madeleo Wagner Blake was born April 24, 1914 near Letts, Iowa to Everett and Madeline Wagner Blake. He married Ruth Fowler, January 24, 1938. They divorced after 24 years. He then married Ileane Smith June 19, 1963 in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Ileane survives him.

Madeleo was a custodian for the L&M School System retiring in 1981. Prior employment included being bus manager for Columbus Community Schools and working at J.I. Case Company in Rock Island. Madeleo was most noted as an accomplished senior athlete. Madeleo has a room full of trophies and medals that he won over the past 12 years. He has traveled the United States competing in all Senior Olympics events. When Madeleo was 70 he rode his bicycle from the West Coast to the East coast for his summer ride. This was his 20th year to be on RAGBRAI. Madeleo founded and maintained the Avenue of Flags at the Letts Cemetery.

Survivors include: his wife, Lleane, Letts; two sons, Warren and Justin Blake, both of Letts; four daughters, Mrs. Bobbie (Jackie) Kemp, Letts, Mrs. Mike (Janet) Budds, Las Vegas, Nevada, Ms. Julia Humphreys, Fruitland-Muscatine, Mrs. Steven (JoLynne) "Jody" Fuller, Columbus Junction. There are 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Also surviving is a sister, Ms. Wynonnia Vogt, Letts, and his Aunt Fannie Scranton, Ft. Meyers, Florida. Madeleo was preceded in death by his parents, Everette and Madeline Blake, his step-mother, Bertha Blake, a daughter Judith and granddaughter, Kimberly Blake Cook.