Madeleo Wagner Blake

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

Posted By: Judy Kelley (volunteer) (email)
Date: 5/26/2009 at 20:28:40

Unknown newspaper

Funeral services for 81 year old Madeleo W. Blake of Letts, Iowa, were held on Monday at 1:30 p.m. at the Stacy-Lewis Funeral Home, Columbus Junction, Iowa. Officiating were Pastor Patrick Stout and Pastor Armando Comacho. Music was by Mr. Barb Bartelt and Brian and Kristie Cummings. Madeleo died on Wednesday, July 26, 1995, in Toledo, Iowa, while on RAGBRAI. Burial was in the Letts Cemetery, Letts, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were: Byron Hafner, Carl Yerington, Mike Lamp, Nile Jones, Warren Jennings, and Toby Tobias. Casket bearers were: Jake Davis, Delbert Wagler, Dean Van Acker, Keith Owens, Cleo Orris, John Monroe, and Dr. Howard Rowe. A memorial has been established at the funeral home.

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. He has a room full of trophies and medals that he has 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, Ileane, Letts. Also two sons, Warren and Justin Blake 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.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Everette and Madeline Blake, his step-mother, Bertha Blake, a daughter, Judith and granddaughter, Kimberly Blake Cook.