Joseph Winford Blake

Joseph (Joe) W. Blake, 86, of Huron passed away Friday morning, July 8, 2022, at Firelands Regional Medical Center, Main Campus, Sandusky, surrounded by loving family, after a very brief illness. He was born to Charles S. and Mary Kathleen McCollum Blake on June 7, 1936, in Riley, Ohio. He served honorably in the U.S. Air Force, 1954–1958, where he met Barbara Bruck, and they were married in 1957. Joe worked for Ohio State Parks for several years and then moved to Sandusky, Ohio where he was employed by Ohio Edison, working his way up from the mowing crew, taking night classes to become an electrician, and spending his last 10 years before retirement at the power distribution office in Wadsworth, Ohio, ensuring that electricity was delivered where needed across the grid. 

Joe was an avid cyclist and bicycled across the U.S. from San Diego to Georgia with a group from Wandering Wheels, rode Adventure Cycling’s Underground Railroad route from Florida to Canada, participated in dozens of organized bike events each year, and rode the Great Allegheny Passage rail trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland with his daughter. Over the years, he enjoyed gardening, fishing, geocaching, classic car shows, traveling, spending winters in Sebring, Florida, and NASCAR. He was a member of the American Legion, the Sandusky Senior Men’s Club, the Car Coddlers, the Remember Cruisin’ Car Club, the Thursday Cookie Club, and Zion Lutheran Church, Huron. Most of all, Joe cared about his friends and family. He was kind and thoughtful, patient with children and a wonderful teacher, always up for fun, generous and dependable. He kept in touch with the people he loved, wherever they were.

Joe was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Wilma Blake Sandlin (Calvin) and Norma Blake; his stepmother, Emma Blake (Charles); and his wife Barbara (Bruck) Blake. He is survived by his daughter, Gail Dotson-Blake (Jennifer); his fiancée, Anne Wessels; her children, Craig Wessels (Katie) and Wendy Wessels Brightman (Bryan); and grandchildren, Libby Brightman Bell (Justin), Sophie Brightman Rice (Sam), Dalton Wessels, Maggie Wessels, Gabriel Voorhees; and numerous nieces and nephews and Carson.

Visitation will be held Friday, July 15, from 4 - 7 pm at the David F. Koch Funeral and Cremation Services, 520 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky. Family will also receive friends on Saturday, July 16, at 10:00 AM at Zion Lutheran Church, 930 Main St., Huron, until the funeral service at 11:00 AM.  Rev. Ralph Schibler officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the American Legion Post # 83 and the V.F.W. Post # 2529.  It was his wish to be cremated following the service. Burial will be held later in Meadow Green Memorial Park, in Huron, OH.  The funeral will be followed by a luncheon at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made in Joe’s name to the Friendship Animal Protective League, 8303 Murray Ridge Road, Elyria, Ohio 44035-4746 or to Zion Lutheran Church, 930 Main Street, Huron, Ohio 44839.
Your memories and words of comfort may be shared with Joe's family at davidfkoch.com.
 

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