Blake, Donn K. 1916-1995

BLAKE, DAVENPORT, MORIN, MORRE, GORDON

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/16/2012 at 10:19:07

The Brooklyn (IA) Chronicle; June 28, 1995

DONN K. BLAKE

Donn K. Blake, 78, of Deep River, died, June 19, at the Grinnell Hospital. He was born Sept. 22, 1916 at Maquoketa, the son of George and Daisy Davenport Blake. He was graduated from Maquoketa High School and Iowa State University at Ames.

He was married to Gertrude Morin, and to this union was born a son, Donn Blake.

During World War II, he served his country in the United States Army. He enlisted as a private and was discharged as a major. He received the purple heart and three battle stars.

Early in his adult life, he sang in the big bands (including the Tommy Dorsey orchestra), and played bass. For 40 years, he was employed by the Minneapolis-based construction firm, S.J. Groves and Sons as a construction project manager. He worked overseas, as well as all over the United States, on construction projects, building dams and bridges. He worked on the St. Lawrence Seaway, and his last major project was working on the Orlando (Fla.) airport. He retired in September, 1990.

He has been repeatedly featured in the Engineering News Record, a professional journal. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion and the V.F.W.; and a member of the American Institute of Professional Engineers; the Moose, Eagles, Masons, and the Shrine.

He is survived by a son and his wife, Donn and Jo Blake of Inverness, Fla., Jean Morre of Deep River; seven grandchildren: Jari, Kelly, Jaime, Ken, Dannel, Shawn, and Brennan; seven great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Glenn Blake and a sister, Marjorie Gordon.

The body has been cremated and memorial services were held June 21 in the Watts Funeral Home with the Rev. Brian Carter officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Deep River American Legion.