Hope  Marion Blakely (Williams)

Hope Marion (Williams) Blakely graduated to glory on Friday, September 15th at 12:05 PM at St. Luke's Hospice House in Kansas City. She and her husband, Larry A. Blakely lived in Independence, Missouri for 17 years after retiring from Phoenix, Arizona where they had lived for 52 years. She was born in Toledo, Ohio on August 29th, 1942 to Russell and Ruth Williams. They moved to Phoenix when she was six years old. After attending Central High School she enrolled at Phoenix College where she met her future husband. Like her, he had moved to Phoenix when he was six years old and for four years lived within a mile of Hope! They never met until twelve years later in the Phoenix College Choir. They were married on Christmas Eve in 1963 just like Larry's paternal grandparents were. Hope received her Education degree from Arizona State College, now known as Northern Arizona University. She went on to get her master's in education from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona and worked on an Ed Specialist degree. Like her mother, she taught elementary education for thirty years before retiring with Larry in 1996. Beginning in the 70's and resuming in 1994 she had her own Shaklee nutrition business that she was still running with her husband until her passing. She considered it an extension of her teaching career, helping people to be healthier. Hope played the organ and piano at church and sang in the choir. She enjoyed sewing, making quilts, gardening, and sharing her Shaklee business which allowed her and Larry to earn trips to Hawaii and a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean. After surviving her second cancer operation in 2012 she enjoyed a 5000 mile trip in 2016 to see all of her children and grandchildren and visited several National Parks that she had not been to before. After her third cancer surgery in May of 2017, complications kept her in the hospital for four months where it was determined it had returned once again and was inoperable. Understanding this, she willingly entered St. Luke's Hospice House where she lived comfortably until her passing. She is survived by her brother, Clark Williams of Prosper, Texas, husband Larry and their four children, Alice St. Germain of Flagstaff, Arizona, Joe Blakely of Franktown, Colorado, Ed Blakely of Monroe, Washington, Andy Blakely of Independence, Missouri, eleven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. To show her appreciation to the Kansas University Medical Center that gave her exceptional care, Hope had planned to bequeath her remains to their Willed Body Program in the "hope" that it would assist medical students in their journey to become excellent doctors. Unfortunately, she had contracted an infection while in the hospital that prevented her donation. Cremation will be handled by Carson-Speaks Chapel. In lieu of flowers she would encourage donations to the American Cancer Society in her memory at www.donate.cancer.org A memorial Graduation to Glory service will take place at Outreach Restoration Branch at 723 S. Crysler in Independence, Missouri on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 10 AM. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Speaks Suburban Chapel (816) 373-3600)