NORWAY – Our precious mom, Linona “Peggy” Alice Blake, 99, was gathered in the arms of angels at Norway Center for Health and Rehabilitation on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019. She was born on March 12, 1920 to Estes and Eva Yates, the fourth born of eight. She grew up in Bryant Pond and attended Woodstock schools, graduating in 1938. Attending the Alumni dinners each year gave her great joy as she could reconnect with other alumni.

She married Clayton Blake who predeceased her in 1979. They raised their family for many years in the Stearn Mill.

She absolutely loved the Grange, where she was a member for over 75 years. She held degrees in all three divisions, Franklin, State and National. She attended the annual state conferences, if she possibly could fit it into her busy schedule. At one time she started up a Juvenile Grange at Bear River where she was the Matron. She was a member of the Eleanor Gordon Guild also.

She always worked away from the home five and sometimes five and a half days a week. She started as a machine operator at Saunders Mills. Later she became office manager at the mills of Ralph Young and E. G. Blake. She and her brother, Russell, opened a diner in W. Bethel, Blake’s Country Kitchen. Both loved to cook. She was also a bookkeeper for Bryce Yates.

Finally, semi-retirement came. She and her husband spent the winters in Florida and the summers working at New Hampshire resorts. In Florida she worked as a salesperson at Eckard Drugstore plus sold Avon door to door. She worked at the Hillsboro Club in Pompano Beach, Florida as a bread baker, pastry baker and waitress for about nineteen years. In the summer of those years she worked as a pastry baker and bread baker at the Waumbek in Jefferson, and The Balsams in Dixville Notch.

After losing her husband, she spent some time as a caregiver and companion to a wonderful lady in Marblehead, Mass.

She returned to Bethel and with Harold Young (Tater) opened the Bulldog Diner on Railroad Street in Bethel.

Her last paying job was restocking the card displays in the Norway area for American Greeting Cards. I say paying because the most important job to her was seeing that her girls were taken care of and loved.

She is survived by her daughters, Myrna, Kaye and Loretta; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

A heartfelt thank you to the staff at Ledgeview Living Center and Norway Center for Health and Rehabilitation for the compassionate care they provided to our mom.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. at Chandler Funeral Home, Greenleaf Chapel, 37 Vernon St., Bethel with refreshments to follow.

Library or to PACE Ambulance Service, c/o Stephens Memorial Hospital, 181 Main St., Norway, ME 04268. Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com

In lieu flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the

Paris Public Library

37 Market Square

South Paris, ME 04281

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