Francis Blake Jr

Francis O. Blake, Jr., passed away peacefully on July 9, 2012.

He was preceded in death by his father Francis O. Blake, Sr., and his mother Elma A. (Smith) Blake; brother, Eugene Blake; sisters, Alice Fisher and Loise Reed; his first wife Versa E. (Williams) Blake; second wife, Doris M. (Wade) Blake; and two great great grandsons. Survivors include his sons, Francis E. Blake and wife Evelyn M. and Wesley M. Blake and wife Carolyn J. of Independence; sister, Marcene Bergman; five grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; two great great grandsons; his dear friend and companion Ruth Crossley and several nieces and nephews.

Francis was a member of St. Mark’s Methodist Church where he had many close friends. Francis was born in Independence in 1915 and grew up there. At age 18, he joined the civilian conservation corps and later worked for the W.P.A. He worked at the Muehlbach Hotel where he met his first wife, and then later worked for the Missouri Portland Cement Co. where he became a machinist and retired in 1977. Francis enjoyed hunting and fishing and the great outdoors. He was a master silversmith, a life member of the Independence Gem and Mineral Society, and a charter member of the Sterling Guild of Greater Kansas City.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 14, 2012 at Carson-Speaks Chapel; 1501 W. Lexington Ave, Independence, MO. Burial to follow at Mound Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Mark’s Methodist Church food pantry.