Obituary: Willard H. Blake
Willard H.brBlake, 89, died June 5, 2021 at the Faith Lutheran Home, in Osage. A funeralbrservice will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at VisitationbrCatholic Church, Stacyville with Father Raymond Burkle officiating. Visitationbrwill be held on Wednesday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Visitation CatholicbrChurch. Burial will be in the Visitation Cemetery.
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Willie wasbrborn on November 12, 1931 to Ray and Helen (Durben) Blake, the oldest of sixbrboys. He grew up on a farm outside Stacyville, Iowa during the Great Depressionbrand graduated from Visitation High School in 1949. He served in the U.S. Armybrduring the Korean War from 1952-1953 as an infantryman, and fought in thebrBattle of Pork Chop Hill. In 1954, he married his childhood sweetheart, GermainebrMayer, and they raised three children, Debra, Diane and Mark.
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He workedbrat the Stacyville Cooperative Elevator for 41 years from 1954-1995, serving asbrfertilizer specialist and assistant manager for a time. He enjoyed all aspectsbrof agriculture and especially working with farmers. After retirement from thebrelevator, he worked as a USDA grain sampler. He was active in the Stacyvillebrcommunity, elected to the city council for many years and volunteering as abrfirefighter. He was a member of the Visitation Knights of Columbus, CatholicbrOrder of Foresters, and after retirement, he served mass and sang in the choir.brIn later years, he delivered Meals on Wheels to community members. He was abrlongtime member of the American Legion Post #569 and participated in the colorbrguard at parades and funerals. In 2016, he and son, Mark, flew to Washington,brD.C. on an Honor Flight for veterans of the Korean War.
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Spendingbrtime with family and conversing and joking with friends gave him great joy. Hebralso loved participating in sports, and his enduring passions were baseball,brhunting and golf. He played shortstop on the Stacyville town team starting inbrhigh school and quitting only after spraining his ankle sliding into secondbrbase in his late thirties. Every fall, he could be found walking the fieldsbrhunting pheasants, and he helped raise money for habitat preservationbrparticipating on the Mitchell County Pheasants Forever Board. In 1969, hebrbecame a founding member of the Cedar River Golf Course in Adams, MN, where he golfedbrthrough the summer of 2020. He said his four hole-in-ones on the course werebrpure luck, but everyone who knew his abilities understood there was a fairbramount of talent involved. He also loved to play card games, especially 500 andbrcribbage at the Legion Hall or with family members. In quiet moments, he was anbravid reader of mystery novels.
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Willie isbrsurvived by four brothers: Donald (Jean) of Tenerife, Canary Islands; Charlesbr(Myrna) of Bella Vista, AR; Walter (Maggie) of St. Ansgar, IA; Roger (Betty) ofbrStacyville, IA; and sister-in-law, Patricia of Maple Grove, MN; his threebrchildren: Debra Blake (James Alvey) of New Brighton, MN; Diane (Ron) Petersonbrof Lakeville, MN; and Mark Blake of Polk City, IA; his grandchildren: Erickbr(Luisa) Peterson of St. Paul, MN and Adam Peterson of Minneapolis, MN; twobrgreat-grandchildren: Sophia and Andre´ Peterson, and numerous nieces andbrnephews.
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He wasbrpreceded in death by his parents, Ray and Helen; wife, Germaine; brother,brGlenn; and sister-in-law, Sharon.
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In lieu ofbrflowers or gifts, donations may be made to the Stacyville American Legion Postbr#569, Mitchell County Pheasants Forever, or the Mitchell County Regional HealthbrCenter.
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SchroederbrFuneral Homes, St. Ansgar, 641-713-4920, www.schroederfuneralhomes.com
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