BLAKE, Germaine (Mayer) 1932-2011
BLAKE, MAYER
Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 11/29/2011 at 13:48:43
Germaine Blake
#1:
STACYVILLE - Germaine Blake, 79, of Stacyville died Monday, Nov. 28, 2011 at St. Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, 641-713-4920.
[ Mason City Globe Gazette website, November 29, 2011 ]
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#2:Germaine Blake
STACYVILLE, IOWA - Germaine Blake, 79, of Stacyville died Monday, Nov. 28, 2011, at St. Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minn.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, at Visitation Catholic Church, Stacyville, with Father Jack McClure, CPPS, officiating. Burial will be in Visitation Cemetery, Stacyville.
Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 4-8 p.m. with Scripture Service at 7 p.m.
Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar is in charge of arrangements; 641-713-4920.[ Mason City Globe Gazette website, November 30, 2011 ]
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#3:
Germaine Blake
STACYVILLE, IOWA - Germaine Blake, 79, of Stacyville died November 28, 2011, at St. Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, December 2, at Visitation Catholic Church, Stacyville, with Father Jack McClure, CPPS, officiating. Burial will be in Visitation Cemetery, Stacyville. Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 4 p.m. with Scripture service at 7 p.m.
Germaine died on Monday, November 28, 2011, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn.
She was born October 14, 1932, on a farm outside of Stacyville, the youngest child of Albert and Pauline Mayer. She attended Visitation Grade School and High School and then moved to Cedar Falls for two years, where she obtained a teaching certificate at the Iowa State Teachers College.
She first taught at Sacred Heart School in Meyer for three years before "retiring" to get married.
On June 10, 1954, Germaine married her high school sweetheart, Willie. She raised three children, Debra, Diane and Mark, until 1964 when Visitation Grade School called her to teach fifth grade. She later moved to the lower grades, teaching second and third for the remainder of her career.While teaching, she returned to college taking night classes and attending summer school to obtain her bachelor's degree at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
During her tenure at Visitation, she also became the First Communion teacher, preparing hundreds of children to receive the Eucharist. She retired in 1997 after 33 years of teaching at Visitation School.
After retirement, Germaine continued to tutor individual children until one week prior to her death. In 1999, she received the Distinguished Graduate Award from the Department of Elementary Schools of the National Catholic Education Association. In 2000, she was named to "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" for excellence as an educator.
Germaine's interests and abilities ranged widely. Early in her marriage, she sewed many outfits for herself and her children, taking after her mother, Pauline, a seamstress. Her garden was always an important part of her life. Initially, she grew and canned vegetables, and after retirement she tended a colorful array of flowers. She was especially known for baking tasty pies, bars, cookies and coffee cake. She also loved reading, solving crossword puzzles and traveling. She was able to achieve one of her lifetime goals by visiting the Vatican and obtaining an audience with the Pope. In recent years, she traveled to England, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and other places to visit family.
In retirement, she bowled, played bridge and volunteered extensively. She was active in the Stacyville Nursing Home Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary, serving as Education Chairman for many years. She also served on the auxiliary for the Mitchell County Regional Health Center and volunteered in the hospital gift shop. She delivered Meals on Wheels to hometown residents and served as a Eucharistic Minister for Visitation Church, presenting communion at Mass and taking communion to elderly community members and nursing home residents. She was a member of the Cedar Valley Chapter of the Iowa Retired School Personnel Association.
Germaine is survived by her husband, Willard Blake; two daughters, Debra Blake of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Diane (Ron) Peterson of Lakeville, Minnesota; one son, Mark Blake of Polk City; two grandchildren, Erick and Adam Peterson; one brother, Edwin (Estelle) Mayer of Bella Vista, Arkansas; and numerous nephews, nieces, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Germaine is preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Pauline Mayer; brothers, Jerome Mayer and Leo Mayer; and sisters, Cecilia Meinders and Helen Cerrato.
We feel your strength, love and guidance as our Guardian Angel.
Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, is in charge of arrangements. 641-713-4920.
[ Mason City Globe Gazette website, December 1, 2011 ]
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Photo from Austin Daily Herald website.
Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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