BLAKE, Vera Mae

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ December 28, 2007 Vera Mae Blake died Saturday, Dec. 22, 2007, at RTA Hospice and Palliative Care in Lakeside just two days shy of her 92nd birthday. She was born Dec. 24, 1915, in Shreveport, La., to the late Sherman and Elner (Walker) Collins. Vera moved to McNary in 1942 with her husband, Ben Lee Blake, and worked in the molding department at the big sawmill. She also worked as a domestic, however, her greatest joy came from providing worms for fisherman and was affectionately known as the "Worm Lady" by the anglers. She was an excellent piano player, teaching herself to play by ear. She played for church services and could also play a good ''boogie-woogie." She will be missed by many, but non more so than her family whom she leaves to cherish her memory. She is survived by her sons, Benjie Earl Blake of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Freddie Blake (Debra) of Tulsa, Okla.; daughter Lee Bennie Blake of Dallas, Texas; four grandchildren, Desiree Blake (Christopher Puckett), Patsy Jones, Sheila Jones and Andre Andrews; nine great-grandchildren, Zoe Taalib, Sheria Washington, Raquel Washington, Andre Andrews II, Nicholas Andrews, Darrien Andrews, Sierra Andrews, Asheria Andrews and Tamira Hatten. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Lee Blake, in 1990 as well as her sister, Gustave Collins. Funeral services for Vera will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Woodland Ward Chapel (off of Buck Springs Road in the Pinetop Country Club) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Visitation and viewing will be held one hour prior to the service.