JAMES BLASS

BLASS JAMES MARSHALL BLASS As "Teyve" dancing in joy, 1977 James Marshall Blass, age 84, died February 15, 2017. Jim was born March 5, 1933 in Roseville Township, Macomb County, Michigan of Kenneth Ulric Blass and Marie Friedricka Kleiner Blass. He spent his formative years in Detroit, Michigan attending Ives, Jackson, Southeastern and Cass Technical public schools. He had the good fortune of his singing voice changing from soprano to bass during his fourteenth summer. From that time until his death he enjoyed performing and sharing his gift with all who would listen and some who would rather not. Leaving high school before graduating in mid-winter 1951/52, during the Korean Conflict (War?), he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. After Basic training and Air Traffic Control Technical school he served in Texas, Korea, Georgia, Germany and ended his military career at Andrews AFB, Maryland, nine years later. The day after his discharge he was hired by the Federal Aviation Agency at Andrews Air Traffic Control Tower where he served until 1978 when he was appointed FAA Air Traffic Representative at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. He retired from the later position in 1988 after 36 years' service to his country and air traffic control. While in Germany he found Susanne Schultheis, the woman who would be his dear friend, severest critic and wife for 60 years. They were married on December 27, 1955 at the Burgermeisters office in Walldorf, Hessen, Germany. Four children were born of this marriage, Patricia, Martin, Christine and Stephen. These children have given Jim and Sue seven grandchildren, Daniel James, Aaron Michael, Kenneth James, Ethan Troy, Matthew, Andrea Jean, Hannah Marie and five great grandchildren, Keith, Joshua, Bennett, Brooks and Beau. He lived in Maryland since 1959 and St. Mary's County since 1977. His favorite poem line was, "He lived by the side of the road and was a friend to man." Among other joys was his love of writing, including occasional Letters to the Editor. He also liked driving, though often had choice words for the boors, scofflaws and flakes encountered in today's traffic. After his retirement he began assembling his genealogical background, transcribed the courtship letters of his parents (a one million-word project) and continued his service on the Maryland State Attorney Grievance Commission (until 1997), plus other duties as prescribed by his life partner, Susanne. In his mid-sixties he began his odyssey with the health care industry and slowly curtailed his physical and away from home activities He was a member of the Airways and Air Communications Alumni Assoc., The Maryland Choral Society and Palatines to America. He performed leading singing roles in amateur theater as Emile de Beck (South Pacific), Curly & Jud (Oklahoma), Nathan Detroit (Guys & Dolls) and Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof). He occasionally had minor solo parts in choral work productions. He continued his public singing until 2008. Other than family mentioned above, he leaves two sisters, Katherine McBride of Tennessee and Barbara Wetzel of Boonsboro, Maryland; children-in-law, Teddy, Cindy, Craig and Allison; plus many friends and neighbors. A brother, Kenmar E. Blass of Baldwin, Michigan died in 2007 His politics were libertarian, small "l", with a touch of rebel. His love of history showed him the fallibility of man and the need to be guided by a written standard and the rule of law. The Golden Rule was his. This obituary was written by the subject so only the pertinent facts were presented. Memorial Gathering, March 18, 2017 from 1 to 4 p.m.; with a Service at 3 p.m. at Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home. Arrangements by Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home (www.brinsfieldfuneral.com)Arrangements by Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home (www.brinsfieldfuneral.com)