Blair, Irene 1921-2009

BLAIR, REESE, SHOCKEY, BROOKE, WILSON, GEARHART, HENNESSEY, HANOVER, STANGL

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 3/4/2010 at 18:01:33

The Grinnell Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) Jan. 25, 2009

IRENE BLAIR

Irene Blair, 87, of Grinnell died Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, at Mayflower Health Care Center.

A memorial service will be held Friday, Jan. 16 at Grinnell United Methodist Church. Officiating will be the Rev. Len Eberhart, pastor of the Grinnell United Methodist Church; the Rev. G.W. Wilson, Elkridge, Md., her son-in-law, and the Rev. Raymond Lott, retired pastor of the church. Interment will take place at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Grinnell United Methodist Church.

She was born on July 29, 1921, in Jefferson, the daughter of Edward and Jesta Julia Reese Shockey. She was raised in Jefferson where she also received her education. On Nov. 14, 1942, she was united in marriage with Earl Dean Blair in Chillicothe, Mo. As her husband served in the United States Army Air Corps, they resided on several military bases where she was employed in a variety of local variety stores. They later lived in Grand Junction, Iowa; Wauwatosa, Wis., and Jefferson prior to moving to Grinnell in 1961. For many years the Blairs wintered in Texas and occasionally in Arizona. They have been part of the Mayflower Community since 1997.

She was a member of the Grinnell United Methodist Church, the Order of the Eastern Star, Just-a-Mere Club and several bridge clubs. She enjoyed flower gardening, playing cards and traveling to all 50 states.

She is survived by her husband, Earl, of Grinnell; five children, Sandra Brooke of Grinnell; Jean Wilson of Elkridge, Md.; Jane Gearhart of Conrad; Gary Blair of Johnston and Mart Blair of Titusville, Fla.; ten grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Edward, Raymond, Donald and Jerold Shockey; and three sisters, Dorothy Hennessey, Katherine Hanover and Mildred Stangl.