Blake, Ralph W. 1894-1965

BLAKE, HARLOW, SHOPBELL, CHARLESWORTH, MCDONALD

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 6/17/2011 at 08:38:51

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Monday, December 27, 1965

FORMER RESIDENT RALPH W. BLAKE DIES IN COLORADO

Ralph W. Blake, 71, of Grand Junction, Colo., a longtime Grinnell resident, died early Thursday morning at Grand Junction.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday from the Smith Funeral Home here. Officiating will be the Rev. Vernon Forsberg, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Marshalltown.

Serving as pallbearers will be Calvin Barns, Leo Flanagan, Homer Lowrey, Kenneth Hutchinson, Frank Ritter, and Melvin Van Wechel. Interment will be in Hazelwood cemetery.

Friends may call at the Smith Funeral Home Tuesday evening and Wednesday.

He was the son of Edward E. and Mamie Harlow Blake and was born Mar. 26th,1894, at Riverton, Nebr. When he was a young boy, his family moved to Oberlin, Kan., where he attended the local schools.

On Nov. 18th, 1916, at Burlington, Iowa, he was united in marriage with Lila Marie Shopbell. Mrs. Blake passed away on Apr. 21st, 1952.

Mr. and Mrs. Blake moved to Grinnell in 1925 and he was employed by the Iowa Southern Utilities Company for many years. After Mrs. Blake's death and his retirement, he moved to Grand Junction to be near his son.

Survivors include his three sons, Richard Blake of Grand Junction, Colo.; Keith Blake of Merrill, Wisc.; and John Blake of Marshalltown. Also surviving are seven grandchildren; one brother, James Blake of Elsinore, Calif.; and two sisters, Mrs. Elsie Charlesworth of North Hollywood, Calif., and Mrs. B.F. McDonald of San Clemente, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife.

Mr. Blake was a member of the Masonic Order, Canaan Lodge No. 627 of Mt. Union, Iowa; Elks Lodge No. 1266 of Grinnell; and the Eagles Lodge at Harlingen, Tex.