Carlton Gary Blase Jr.

1944 - 2020

Memorial Mass for Carlton Gary Blase Jr., 75, of Willoughby, will be 11 a.m. Saturday, May 16, 2020, at St. John Vianney Church, 7575 Bellflower Road, Mentor. Father Tom Johns will officiate. Family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass. (Social distancing will be observed in church.) Carl passed away Wednesday, April 29, 2020, at his home. Born June 21, 1944, in Cleveland, he had lived in Omaha, Neb., before moving to Lake County 10 years ago. He was a graduate of Eastlake North High School and Case Western Reserve University. Carl served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, stationed in Alaska, California, and Nebraska, followed by a career in finance at First Data in Omaha. Carl attended daily Mass at St. John Vianney Parish and was an important part of the 8 a.m. daily Mass family. He was a greeter at the 9 a.m. Sunday Mass and welcomed people to Mass every Sunday. He was also part of the Evangelization Team, who welcomed fallen-away Catholics back to the practice of their faith and membership in the Church, and a member of the RCIA team, who taught classes and supported those who were discerning membership in the Church. (RCIA is the process by which someone joins the Catholic Church and Carl guided many men and women through the process.) On Sundays, he would meet with these individuals after Mass to help them better understand the Catholic faith. The process was called “Breaking Open the Word,” and Carl would explain scripture passages to them. He was a member of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society and was responsible for packing groceries in the church Food Bank for needy families within the community. A pillar of the church, Carl had many friends and will be missed by all. He truly loved being a Catholic and lived his faith in a remarkable way. He was the loving father of Carlton Gary (Kit) Blase III of Madison and Valerie Suzanne Blase of Littleton, Colo.; cherished grandfather of Kevin Robert Oliva, Andrew Blase Oliva, and Ryan Joseph Oliva; and uncle of Christopher, Kelly, Michael, Clinton and Matthew. Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Carlton Gary Sr. and Albina (nee Novak) Blase; and sister, Maryann Buchanan. Burial will be in All Souls Cemetery in Chardon Township. Arrangements are entrusted to McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Homes in Willoughby and Mentor. To leave condolences for the family or order flowers, visitwww.MCVfuneralhomes.com.