Blair, Earl Dean 1920-2013

BLAIR, WRIGHT, SHOCKLEY, BROOKE, WILSON, GEARHART, LAIRD

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 4/5/2016 at 08:41:33

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register
Sept. 9, 2013

EARL D. BLAIR

Earl D. Blair, age 93, of Grinnell, died on Friday, September 6, 2013, at the Mayflower Community Health Care Center in Grinnell.

A celebration of his life with military rites will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 13, 2013, in the Carman Center of the Mayflower Community, 600 Park Street in Grinnell. Rev. G.W. Wilson and Rev. Linda Bergeon will be officiating. Honorary bearers are his grandsons, Todd Wilson, Kevin Wilson, Chad Wilson, Shaun Wilson, Korey Gearhart, Austin McCoy, Kole Gearhart, Spencer Wilson and Tyler Gearhart. Interment will be at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.

Memorials may be designated in his name to the Mayflower Community Human Needs Fund or to the Alzheimer's Association and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, P.O. Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with his family at www.smithfh.com.

Earl Dean Blair was born on July 4, 1920, in Richey, Montana to Mark William Blair and Myrtle May (Wright) Blair. He was raised and educated in Paton, Iowa, and graduated from Paton High School in 1938. He received 5 months of Air Force college training at Syracuse College in Syracuse, New York.

He proudly and honorably served as a 2nd Lieutenant and flew as a Pilot with the 376th Bomb Group in the United States Air Force during World War II. On November 14, 1942, he was united in marriage with Irene Phyllis Shockley in Chillicothe, Missouri. The couple lived in Jefferson, Iowa, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and Grinnell, while Earl worked for Allis-Chalmers Farm Equipment as a District Manager for 36 years until his retirement in July of 1981.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church and Masonic Lodge in Jefferson and Grinnell respectively, where he was Master of the Lodge in 1978. He served two terms on the trustee board at the Grinnell United Methodist Church. His enjoyments included art work, sign painting, toy tractor collecting, coin collecting and golfing. His most enduring memories were from World War II, going on a WWII Honor Flight to Washington DC, vacations to Hawaii and Branson, Missouri, a cruise to the Bahamas and Bermuda, his Art Show participation at the Grinnell Art Center, and his successes with Allis-Chalmers.

Earl is survived by five children, Sandra (Chuck) Brooke of Grinnell, Jean (Rev. G.W. "Bill") Wilson of Lakeland, Florida, Jane Gearhart of Conrad, Gary Blair of Johnston, and Mart Blair of Titusville, Florida; ten grandchildren; and fifteen great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Irene on January 9, 2009; four brothers, Paul, Glen, Lyle and Donald Blair; and one sister, Mildred Laird.