BLAKE, Othmar M. 1926-1999

BLAKE, DURBEN, SMITH

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 4/14/2009 at 19:17:04

OTHMAR M. BLAKE

STACYVILLE, IOWA - Othmar M. Blake, 73, died Wednesday, October 6, 1999, at the Stacyville Community Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Visitation Catholic Church in Stacyville, with the Rev. Joseph Schneider officiating. Interment will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Meyer.

Visitation will start at 2:30 p.m. today in the Visitation Church Hall with a Catholic Order of Foresters rosary at 3 p.m., a scripture service at 7:30 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus rosary at 8 p.m. The Champion Funeral Home, Osage, is in charge of arrangements.

Othmar was born March 15, 1926, near Meyer, in Mitchell County, Iowa, the son of Carl and Mary (Durben) Blake. He grew up in the Meyer area, graduating from Visitation Catholic High School in Stacyville in 1945.

On October 21, 1947, Othmar married Gladys Smith at Johnsburg, Minnesota. They farmed in the Stacyville area for many years.

Othmar was a former choir director at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Meyer. He also worked for Klapperich Farm Systems and as the Visitation School custodian.

Othmar was a charter member of the Forty-Milers Barbershop Chorus. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Order of Foresters. He was an avid sports fan, enjoying his children's and grandchildren's sporting events.

Othmar is survived by his wife, Gladys Blake, of Stacyville; by six sons: Tom Blake and his wife, Joan, of St. Ansgar; Dean Blake, of Mason City, John Blake and his wife, Mary, of Cottonwood, Minnesota; Dan Blake and his wife, Sue, of Stacyville; David Blake and his wife, Kathy, of Osage; and Tim Blake and his wife, Kathie, of Osage; by two daughters, Jean Hemann and her husband, Denny, Osage, and Janet Chapman and her husband, Jeff, Marshall, Minnesota; one brother, Gene Blake and his wife, Mildred, of Adams, Minnesota; one sister, Vera Adams and her husband, Jim, Stacyville; 18 grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren.

Othmar was preceded in death by his parents and a daughter, Ruth Ann.

Arrangements are by Champion Funeral Home, Osage, Iowa - (515) 732-3706.

[Mason City Globe Gazette - 10/8/1999]