Wayne Bruce Blake

Wayne Bruce Blake, 69, a resident of Cleveland, TN, passed away suddenly Saturday, June 4, 2016 in a Chattanooga hospital.

Wayne was born on August 27th, 1946, the only son of Raymond and Dorothea Blake.  He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1964.

He worked at Wilson and Company/ Farmstead Foods for 23 years until its closing in 1993. He attended Kirkwood Community College where he obtained a machinist degree.  He worked at Bentley Manufacturing Company and was also a part-time guard at Square D Company. He was a NRA member.

Wayne was very active in his Christian faith and attended the Hungry Hearts Ministry. He loved to hunt, was an avid fisherman, and was a talented gardener and painter. He was very involved in foster care and fostered 26 children over five years before adopting two of those children.  He was very passionate about his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; two daughters, Christine Blake Read and husband, David of Lenexa, KS, Amy Blake of Liberty, MO, and two children, Savannah Blake and Landen Blake both of Cleveland; five grandchildren: Lauren Read, Lydia Read, Logan Read of Lenexa, KS, Sam Brusven, Molly Brusven of Liberty, MO; two sisters:  Patricia Blake Marks of Salt Lake City, UT, and Bonnie Blake Goodrich of Cleveland, TN; nieces, Cheryl Duffee of Cleveland, TN, Sara Marks, Erykah Marks of Salt Lake City, UT;  nephews, Gene Cluck of Petersburg, NY, James Duffee, Jr. of Cleveland, TN, and Joshua Duffee of Rome, GA; as well as other extended family members.

A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, 2016 in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Pastor Kelly McDonald presiding and Amy Blake speaking on behalf of the family.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be made to the Wayne B. Blake Memorial Fund, c/o Bank of Cleveland, PO Box 5000, Cleveland, TN 37320-5000.

We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Blake family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.