Mary Elizabeth Blake

Mary E. Blake, 97, of Waukon, IA, died Sunday, November 19, 2017, at her home. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 25th, at 11:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church Hanover in rural Waukon with Rev. Jerry Blake officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery immediately following the service. Fellowship and lunch will be at Waukon Banquet Center following the service. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM on Friday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 3:30 PM scripture service. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Mary Blake Memorial, 1972 Highway 76 N, Waukon, IA 52172.

Mary E. Hammell was born February 16, 1920, on the family farm on the Sand Cove in rural New Albin, IA, the daughter of Cornelius "Con" and Mary T. (Wall) Hammell. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in New Albin and graduated from high school in Lansing, IA. She completed teacher training in La Crosse, WI and taught in rural Allamakee County schools for several years.

On August 11, 1942, Mary married John Patrick Blake at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, New Albin, and focused her teaching on their new family. They farmed on the Upper Iowa River near Dorchester, IA, before buying a farm in Hanover, where the family has resided for the past 60 years. She and her husband were instrumental in starting organic farming. They were active in efforts to protect family farms and their land from condemnation by the DNR or eminent domain, and other political activities in support of family farms. They often hosted meetings of local farmers, and Mary enjoyed serving them and others who came to visit. She taught their 13 children the joy of serving others through the fine arts of sewing, cooking, and baking, including the eight loaves of bread they learned to bake every other day. She loved serving her family and, even on her last night, made sure to help set the table properly.

She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church Hanover, where she belonged to the Rosary Society and taught religious education classes. Mary was also a member of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, National Catholic Society of Foresters, the Upper Iowa River Preservation Association, and the National Farmers Organization. Mary enjoyed gardening, interior decorating, and traveling.
Mary is survived by her children; Mary Therese (Jeff) Abbas, Betty (Dennis) Regan, Carol (Don) Hatch, Bonnie (Jack) Sweeney, Cathy (Jim) Wadsworth, Donna Cummings, John (Lissa) Blake, Rev. Jerry Blake, Francis Blake, Con (Beth) Blake, Julie (Steve) Phillips, and Dan (Jean) Blake; daughter-in-law Linda Blake; 35 grandchildren; 75 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; a brother Walter (Betty) Hammell, and a sister Margaret Blake.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband John in 1991; son Jim Blake; son-in-law Don Klauke; two brothers: John and Ray Hammell; a sister Agnes Troendle; and numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Honorary casketbearers are her Godchildren: Sacha Sweeney Newman, Judy Blake Bailey, Carolyn Hammell Thorsten, Jerry Mauss, Ron Troendle, and Ted Hammell. Casketbearers are grandsons representing the families: Patrick Blake, Will Blake, Blake Phillips, Matt Blake, Jordan Cummings, Michael Wadsworth, John Sweeney, Andy Hatch, Darren Regan, and Fred Klauke.