Robert Wallace Blake

1921 - 2018

Robert Wallace Blake

Robert Wallace Blake passed away November 16, 2018, in Seattle, Washington. Robert was born May 24, l921, in Quantico VA., the son of Captain (later Major General) Robert Blake USMC, and Rosselet Wallace Blake of Berkeley CA. He was brought up on military bases in the U.S., and on posts in Spain 1931-2 and Panama 1935-7. He graduated from Balboa HS in the Canal Zone in 1937 and won a scholarship to MIT. There he majored in aeronautical engineering, was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and served as coxswain on the crew. He graduated with a B.S. in 1941 and although he had completed the ROTC Advanced Course, he was not commissioned then due to being under age. Later (1944) he joined the Navy V5 program and became a Naval Aviator.

After graduating from MIT, he joined Pan American Airways as an apprentice engineer at Pan American's new seaplane base at La Guardia Field, starting a 41-year career that led him from New York to assignments in Afghanistan, France, Seattle, and back to New York. In his first year at Pan Am he was asked to join the staff of Andre Priester, VP and Chief Engineer of Pan Am, who needed an engineer able to write a good letter. Bob worked as assistant to Priester for ten years, much of that time working with airplane manufacturers - Douglas, Lockheed, de Havilland and Boeing -- developing aircraft for Pan Am. This led to Pan Am becoming the first American airline to buy jets. Its 1955 orders included 55 Boeing 707s and Douglas DC8s

Bob married Ruth Anne Gafney in 1951. They both found his assignment in Afghanistan, 1962-65, to be a particularly interesting one. Afghanistan was then at peace and making progress in joining the modern world. His job there was as VP & General Manager of Ariana Afghan Airlines, an affiliate of Pan Am at that time. Later in his career he was liaison to Boeing for Pan Am. In 1982 Bob took delivery of the airline's last jets from Boeing and retired from Pan Am the same year. He said recently, "We had a very good airline for many years. In the age of learning how to fly across the ocean we were the best."

Having seen many areas of the world from a young age and having gained both military and civilian perspectives, Bob held deep interests in politics and world affairs. In Seattle he belonged to the World Without War Council of Greater Seattle, a group made up of many organizations set up to work for long-term change. He wrote letters to the editor of the Seattle Times about foreign policy issues such as the historical reasons for U.S. interventions in Central America. He also felt that his father's career as a marine, 1917-1949, was during a crucial time in American history that is being forgotten, and he wanted to document it. He published two books about his father's career and both parents' experiences abroad in military life.

In addition to politics, Bob's interests were wide ranging and included sports, travel, aviation and music. He and Ruth attended the opera until she passed away in 1989. He continued to live in Seattle, and in 1990 met Mary Louise Sanford through mutual friends. She shared his interests, especially the local performing arts and world travel. They went to many of the places Bob had lived as the child of a marine general and visited people that Bob had known there.

Mary's four grown children embraced Bob from the start. It was clear Bob was devoted to her and he made a wonderful addition to the family. He was a great match for her - intelligent, well-traveled and well read, and he liked to cook! In turn, Bob enjoyed the role of "dad" in this latest period of his life and was interested in and supportive of each member of this new family. He became the family photographer and provided many pictures of family events and travels which family members are now grateful to have. Mary and Bob were married in 2004 and celebrated another thirteen years together until her death in 2017.

Bob is survived by Steven Sanford, Redmond, WA; Mary Lynne Sanford Finn (Jeffrey), Bellevue, WA; Sarah Sanford, Kirkland, WA; and Jerry Sanford (Robin), Renton, WA. From his first wife, Ruth, Bob leaves nephews Tim Gafney (Kristy), Los Gatos, CA; Thomas Gafney, Alta Loma, CA; and Michael Gafney, Watsonville, CA. He will be missed by these families as well as friends and correspondents from associations in the Canal Zone, MIT, Naval Reserve, and Seattle. Bob is interred in Golden Gate National Cemetery beside Ruth and his parents.