John Calvin Blake

March 3, 1934 ~ December 19, 2012
John Calvin Blake passed away on December 19, 2012 at his home in Blanding, UT after a long courageous battle with cancer. 
Calvin was born on March 3, 1934 in Grand Junction, CO to Uriah and Annie Marie Poole Butt. 
On May 15, 1956, he married his high school sweetheart, VerDonne Guymon in the Manti Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 
They had six children and 56 wonderful years together.  He was a great husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, son and brother.  He loved making his family laugh.  He was known for his funny sense of humor.
As a boy, Calvin loved airplanes and always had a dream to become a pilot.  That dream came true when he achieved his goals and became a pilot later in life.  He flew planes and managed airports in Monticello and Halls Crossing.  Pilots loved coming to Cal’s airport because he was an honest man and a very hard worker.
Calvin had a great love for his country.  He served in the Army and was stationed in Hawaii.  He worked as a mailman and retired from the Post Office in 1989 after having worked for 33 years.
Calvin was a faithful member of the LDS Church.  He served as a counselor in two bishoprics, as stake and ward clerk, temple worker, deacon and teachers quorum advisor, assistant Explorer advisor, counselor in the MIA, counselor in the Sunday School Presidency, Stake High Councilman, High Priest Group assistant, and Stake Auditor.
He is survived by his wife, VerDonne Guymon Blake, children Jeffery Calvin (Jodilyn) of Ramah, NM; Callie Dawn (Scott) Winters of Pleasant Grove, UT; James Lynn (Cynthia) of Syracuse, UT; Marcia Kay (Darel) Hawkins of Salem, UT; Kevin Dean (Donna) of Blanding; 31 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; and sister Barbara Hildebrand, of Cedar Hills, UT. 
He is preceded in death by his parents; daughter Freeda Ann; brothers Willard Harold and Robert Dean; and sister Dorothy Hurst.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 29, 2012 at the Blanding LDS Stake Center. Viewing will be at the San Juan Mortuary in Blanding on Friday, December 28, 2012 from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Card of thanks
The family would like to thank all the nurses and doctors who took care of Calvin and made his last days here on earth as peaceful and pain free as possible.  They would also like to thank those who visited him and showed respect towards him for the good person he was and the great life he lived.