Jean Blake was carried into eternity by her Savior Jesus Christ on August 30th, 2010, at her home of 62 years on Murray Avenue. She was 88 years old.
She is survived by her daughters Pamela Frye (Ernie), Eagle, CO; Bobbi Blake, Gilroy, CA; and Claudia Stillwell, Sonora, CA. Jean leaves 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and nine great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Lou Hudson of Greeley, CO as well as three cousins.
She was preceded in death by her dear husband Francis Blake of 54 yrs, and their infant son Hudson; and by grandchildren and great-grandchildren Louann Cordich, Cody Joe Anthenien, Matthew Metz, and JR Adams.
Jean was born in Eaton, CO on July 1, 1922, to Nicholas and Bertha Mae Hudson. She was the youngest of 5 children: Pauline Lankford, Joe Hudson, Nick Hudson, and Lou Hudson. Jean remained in CO until, at the age of 20, she and three girlfriends decided to travel to CA to help with the wartime effort. She worked at Douglas Aircraft until moving to Reno, NV in 1943 where she pursued flying lessons in hopes of joining the WASPS once she had logged 35 hours.
It was there at Sky Ranch in Reno that she met her husband who was a flight instructor for the military. They were married in 1944. Shortly thereafter, Blake was sent overseas and Jean moved back to CA to live with her sister and family.
After being discharged in 1945, Blake returned home and the newlyweds moved to Gilroy to establish their home and opened the Gilroy Airport. Jean set aside her flying lessons for many years to focus on raising her girls but finally accomplished her heart’s desire by becoming a licensed pilot in 1973.
Jean was very ambitious, adventurous, and amazing; and she loved to travel. Her most recent trips were to Anchorage, AK at the age of 86 and to England in 2004 where she hoped to connect with her husband’s relatives.
She loved being a pilot and was an active member of the 99’s organization for female pilots. She had the distinction of participating in a 3-week program at the NASA Ames Research Center to study the effects of space travel on women. She celebrated her 65th birthday by climbing Amelia Earhart Peak (11,969 ft) in Yosemite to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Amelia’s disappearance.
Her many accomplishments included volunteering as a 4-H and Camp Fire leader as well as being a Sunday School teacher. She enjoyed a 10-year career as an assistant at Gavilan College Library where she tutored many college students and taught ESL classes. She was an active member of Concerned Women for America and had a heart for the unborn through her support of the South County Pregnancy Care Center. She also volunteered at South County Housing for more than 10 years.
She loved studying God’s Word and faithfully attended Bible Study Fellowship for many years. She was also a devoted, longtime member of Trinity Bible Church where she will be missed dearly by all members young and old.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at Trinity Bible Church located at 280 Llagas Rd (Corner of Hale & Llagas) in Morgan Hill on October 9, 2010, at 1:00 P.M In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to South Valley Pregnancy Care Center or Trinity Bible Church.
