Erle Blake

Erle Garrison "Garry" Blake died on Tuesday, July 1, 2008, in Troutdale, Oregon. Erle was born in Rexburg, Idaho, on December 3, 1925, to Reed and LaRue (Ewing) Blake, the first of four children. He grew up in Idaho Falls and Blackfoot, Idaho.

Erle started work at the age of eight, and by high school, his schedule included sports like football, baseball and basketball, as well as afterschool work at a soda fountain and a midnight-to-six shift at the sugar factory. He served in the Navy during World War II, stationed in San Diego.

Erle married Shirley Ann Moser on August 31, 1946, in Idaho Falls. "She was," he said, "the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen." Erle attended Idaho State University and then worked for the Atomic Energy Commission in Idaho Falls from 1949 to 1954. He began a remarkable 34-year career with General Electric in 1954. He held various management positions in industrial relations and human resources, first in Idaho Falls, and beginning in 1972, in San Jose, California. While with GE, he worked in the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion Department, in the Nuclear Materials Propulsion Operation and for the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. Throughout his life, he was proud of the fact that even though he lacked a college degree, his hard work, his intelligence and his ability to judge people enabled him to succeed in a very technical industry.

When Erle retired, he and Shirley moved to Sunriver, Oregon, and later to Gresham and Troutdale, to be near their daughter and her family.

Erle was a life long member of the Elks. He loved food and live music, and sometimes joined the band in singing "When the Saints Go Marching In." He enjoyed golfing, and he played pinochle and bridge with his friends at Cherry Park Retirement Village. He especially loved playing cribbage with his family, and he attended a number of tournaments with his son-in-law.

Erle was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley, on January 11, 2006. Survivors include daughter, Cheryl and her husband, Gary Fisher, of Reno, and son, Garry Blake and his wife, Karen Winslow-Blake, of Salt Lake City, as well as three granddaughters and six great-grandchildren. Services will be held July 13 at Cherry Park in Troutdale at 4 p.m.

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