Katie Dean Hall Blake

Katie Dean Hall Blake
1939 ~ 2012
Beloved educator Katie Dean Hall Blake died on 26 November 2012 in Provo from complications of her dementia. She was born 11 June 1939 in Salt Lake City to Dr. Eugene Yates and Kathleen Christensen Hall. She spent her early years in North Carolina and Kentucky where her father served as a military surgeon during WWII.
At war's end, the family returned to Salt Lake City where she attended Douglas School, Roosevelt Jr. High, and East High School. She went to Brigham Young University. During her freshman year she was attendant to the Military Ball Queen, and attendant to the Snow Carnival Queen. She was a member of the ROTC Sponsor Corp (Angel Flight) and O.S. Trovata social unit.
She met her husband Reed Harris Blake on a Val Hyric-O.S. Trovata exchange. They were married a year later in the Salt Lake Temple. They had six children: Reed Murray (Gerilee), Las Vegas; Spencer Hall, Provo; Steven Eugene (deceased); Kristin Dean Cooper (Chris), Saratoga Springs; Laura Kathleen Roberts (Jason), Stafford, VA; and Jaren Hall M.D. (Mary), Reno, NV. She was preceded in death by her son Steven, brother Genie Hall, and parents Eugene and Kathleen.
Katie advanced her education through the many stops of her early family. She received her Associate Degree from Dixie College, her Bachelor's from the University of Utah, and her Master's from Brigham Young University.
Katie taught in both the Weber and Logan school districts before her 25 years in the Provo School District. At Joaquin School she received the first research grant in Provo School District in visual literacy. As a librarian at Provost, she was well-known for her Shared Warmth reading program, which was adopted in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Alabama. She was published in a educational scholarly journal. She was a Golden Apple Teacher. She was named teacher of the year in the Provo School District and librarian of the year for the state of Utah. Of particular delight to her was her students' mastery of nursery rhymes and tongue twisters. She called it setting their ear to the language. Among their many favorite activities, Katie and Reed served a mission for the LDS Church from 2002-2004. They also just completed their 45th straight year as BYU football and basketball season ticket holders. She was active in church serving in many different callings in the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society organizations.
A viewing will be held at Berg Mortuary in Provo on Thursday 29 November from 6-8. Funeral services will be held at the LDS Stakecenter on 2950 N. Canyon Road on Friday 30 November at 11am with a short viewing from 10-10:30 that morning. Katie Dean will be interred at East Lawn Memorial Hills.