William Robert Blake Jr. Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

William Robert Blake, Jr. “Bob” 80, passed away peacefully into the arms of Jesus after a brief illness, surrounded by his family and friends on June 7, 2018. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Robert, Sr. and Nancy Blake and a sister, Shirley Bragg. After high school, he served in the Air Force as a K-9 MP. He was from Oak Hill, West Virginia, the son of a coal miner and the oldest of 8 children, but moved to Portsmouth in 1961 to attend the Apprentice School at Norfolk Naval Shipyard where he later retired from Sup Ship. Bob loved the Lord and his family, and daily shared God’s love with others. He was a faithful member of Pinecrest Baptist Church and was a loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, sitting on the back porch singing and playing his guitar and watching the birds, squirrels and raccoons. Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 56 years, Virginia “Sue” Blake; 3 brothers, Eddie Blake, Benny Blake and Jimmy Blake; 3 sisters, Nancy Tomasek, Lillian Casey and Karen Bennet; a daughter, Laurie Buckley and her husband, Dean; a son, Robert Tracy Blake and his wife, Cheryl; 6 grandchildren, Jennifer Schnoebelen and her husband, Mike, Joshua Buckley and his wife, Raven, Christopher Blake and his wife, Carrie, Corey Blake, Daniel Askew and his wife, Kim, and Lauren Chappell; 13 great-grandchildren and his Deputy dog, Daisy Mae. A funeral service will be held Friday June 15th at 2:00 in Pinecrest Baptist Church by Pastors Reggie Hester and Tom Potter. Burial with Military Honors will be at Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens immediately following the service. The family will receive friends Thursday June 14th from 6-7:30 at Loving Funeral Home 3225 Academy Ave., Portsmouth.