Charles "Richard" Blake, 69, of China Spring, passed away Sunday, July 14, 2013. Funeral services will be 9:30 AM, Thursday, July 18th, at Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Greg Moore of the Top Hand Cowboy Church officiating. Graveside services will follow at Norwood Cemetery in Hearne. Visitation will be 6 to 8 PM Wednesday, July 17th at Lake Shore Funeral Home, 5201 Steinbeck Bend in Waco. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online Guest Book at www.LakeShoreFuneralHome.com.
Richard was born January 13, 1944 in Hearne to Charles E. and Naomi (McMillian) Blake. On August 21, 1976, he married his beloved, Peggy Stone, and together had two sons. Richard was an endowed member of the Baylor Masonic Lodge. He was also very active as a Shriner, having been elected and created into the Karem Shrine in November of 1992. He was also a member of the Karem Motor Escorts and the Karem Shrine Hillbilly Clan of Waco. In 2004, he retired from the Federal Aviation Administration after serving 29 years in Air Traffic Organization and Technical Operations at the Gulf Coast System Management Office. Richard was an avid motorcycle enthusiast with a passion for Harleys, however, no hobby was more important to him than his wife and family.
Pallbearers will be fellow members of the Karem Motor Escorts and are as follows: Mike Watson, Dale Wallace, Andy Haggert, Mike Burney, Juston Lehman, and Johnny Price. Honorary pallbearers are Gary Helmcamp and Sheriff Parnell McNamarra.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Thomas Blake.
Survivors include wife of nearly 37 years, Peggy Blake, of China Spring; sons, Charles R. Blake and Chad Blake, both of China Spring; two grandchildren, Kenzie and Jade; three nieces; three nephews; and dear family friend, Tonna Jones of Fort Worth.
The family would like to thank Providence Hospice for their care and support. Also, a very special thank you to Tonna Jones, who not only is a dear friend, but was Richard’s caretaker recently; Tonna, you are very loved, and words are not enough to express all the thanks you deserve.
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May God give you the strength to carry on what Richard would have wanted you to do! Love ya Peggy.
Richard was an awesome man and you were blessed to have had him as long as God allowed you!
Peggy,
I am so sorry for your loss. I grew up with Richard, as he was such good friends with my older brother, J.B. and myself. My family all loved him dearly, and he will be missed.
Peggy, we are so sorry to hear about Richard. May God give you and your family comfort and peace.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all in this difficult time. I am sorry we could not be there today.
Sorry for your loss. Our
thoughts and prayers are with
you.
Richard you were a good man and loving father, you will be missed by all. You get to ride some wonderful roads in heaven.
Hi, Peggy:
I never had the pleasure of meeting you, but please accept my heartfelt sympathy for your loss.
Right after he got out of the Navy and came back to Hearne, I was in High School. We met and started jamming together. Eventually, we played in a couple of bands together. The last time I saw Richard was in 1971, in Waco.
Richard’s "unique" outlook on life influenced me greatly (mostly for the better!). I’ve been a musician most of my life and worked with some of the best, but I always considered Richard to be one of the best guitar players I’ve ever known…he always had a good time when he played.
Richard taught me some pretty good "licks" on an old Red Gretsche guitar he had back in the 60’s and had a lot to do with my style of playing today.
I had planned to make to to Hearne for the graveside services. Unfortunately, I had a round with Stage 4 Cancer and still suffer from the after-effects of Chemotherapy, one of which is being unable to tolerate extreme heat.
Would still have made it, but my car air conditioner went out yesterday. (I’ve been in remission for a year and a half now and doing fine.)
Although I was not able to be there person, I was there in spirit.
Richard meant a lot to me and a lot of people. He will be missed by many.
Peggy and Family,
I am so sorry for your loss. My prayer is that God will comfort you all during this difficult time.
Lori Brown
My prayers are with you Aunt peggy. Am so sorry you have to go through this. Love you and miss ya
I hope the family is comforted by the words found in the bible at Revelation 21:4 which says death and pain will be no more. Yes, Jesus died so that Richard may live again in God’s new world.
Peggy and family, So sorry about Richard. So glad we got to see him at the Fish Fry a couple of months ago.
May God wrap His arms around all of you during this time.
Peggy, We are so sorry for your loss. Richard was a long time friend and we are very sad to hear of his passing.
Ralph & Gaylene Bynum
Peggy, so sorry for your loss.
Always thought a lot of Richard, now he’s back on his bike riding in heaven.
Aunt Peggy,
I know you were a loving, devoted wife. You were strong in caring for him and loyal in loving him. Mom, Mikayela and I have you in our thoughts and prayers during this ever so bittersweet time.
Love,
Sharon & Mikayela & Shirley
Love you Peggy. You are in our prayers. May God bless you and keep His arms wrapped around you during this time.
Our prayers are for you in your time of loss. May God bless your life, and bring you peace.
Pops! I want to let ya know that I love you so much…The way your eyes lit up every time I walked in the room was priceless….I promise I will make you proud of me and Mom will be there to watch me walk across that stage to accept my degree…I also promise you that I will take care of Mom..I loved our talks, and loved making you those special breakfast items..I still can not believe your gone, and I wished I could of seen that sweet way you lit up when I walked in…I will never forget you…Love always, your adoptive daughter Tonna…