Nellie Blair

Blair, Nellie Looper

Nellie (Bowman) Looper Blair, age 93 of West Carrollton, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, April 13, 2023. She was born the 13th of 16 children to the late Isaac Thomas & Fannie Alice (Allen) Bowman on August 30, 1929 in Rickman, Overton County, Tennessee. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband and the father of her children, Willie Samuel Looper and later husband Lavis William "Bill" Blair; brothers Center, Lafayette, Willis Ben, Emmett Green, Clyde Lee, Russell Dewey, Foster, Walter Francis, Ezart McCoy and Perry M. Hoyle Bowman; sisters Callie McKinney, Auda Mae Zalud, Vauda Mae Harris and Genola Bryant; grandson Patrick Wayne Prewitt and great granddaughter Marina Gail Carpenter. She is survived by her sister Cora Lou Stanley; her daughters Carolyn Kay (Philip) Carpenter, Lowana Gail (Theodore Swartz) Looper, Judy Lorraine (Vernon) Coffey; step children Craig (Lisa) Blair, Melissa (Jimmy) Smith; grandchildren Lisa Michelle Prewitt, Candice Renee Coffey (Markus) Valovalo, Stephanie Gail Carroll and Tyler James (Katie) Lummis; great grandchildren Vincent Patrick Prewitt, and Juliet Kaye Lummis; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Nellie loved her big family and had a special relationship with almost all her 66 nieces, nephews and their spouses. She relocated with her brothers and sisters from Tennessee to Dayton and was one of the founding members of the 1st Dayton Free Will Baptist Church of which she was a member until her death. She loved the church and worked tirelessly and served in every capacity in the church and church camp. She sold Avon to raise money to purchase an organ after moving into the new building on Brandt Pike. One of the joys of her life was working for George Leland at Ledex for 50 years. Her husband Willie followed Nellie to Dayton upon his discharge from the Army and they were married on October 31, 1952 and he also retired from Ledex. She was funny and loved to laugh and have a big crowd around for dinner and sleepovers. She made jewelry and was an excellent hand quilter, seamstress and made wedding dresses, men's suits and winter coats. Her daughters have special memories regarding some favorite dresses she made for them. Husband Willie and brother Ezart, who lived next door, always planted big gardens and Nellie would invite folks over to break beans and she'd have a big pot of green beans and red potatoes on the stove and cornbread in the oven for nourishment. She was always willing to listen and comfort anyone who called with a problem. She pierced the ears of her daughters, her co-workers and the girls at church. She organized her family's reunion at State Parks in Tennessee for over 50 years with more than 100 attending and would stand at the door and greet and hug everyone who attended. She loved to play board games, badminton, put together puzzles, play dominos and she and husband Bill were the Rook champions of Bill's church. She never wasted one minute of her time and didn't want anyone else to either. She touched so many lives and was loved by so many and will be sorely missed. A gathering of family and friends will be held on Monday, April 24, 2023 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at the ZERKLE FUNERAL HOME, 11900 N. Dixie Dr., Tipp City. A funeral service will be held on Monday at 1:00 pm at the funeral home with Pastor Mark Long officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hills Memorial Gardens, Tipp City. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Nellie's memory to the 1st Dayton Free Will Baptist Church, 1661 Brandt Pike, Dayton, Ohio 45404 or Hospice of Dayton, 324 Wilmington Ave., Dayton, Ohio 45420. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.zerklefh.com.