Thomas Carlton Blake Sr.

Thomas Carlton “Tom” Blake, 89, died Wednesday, April 8, 2013 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Born March 18, 1924 in Brenham, to Taul Clymer and Mabel (Wright) Blake, Tom was a 1942 Brenham High School graduate and attended Blinn College. On March 5, 1977, he married Marjorie Dahms.

Tom’s early journalist years and life-long occupation began as a reporter-sports editor for Brenham Banner Press and radio station KWHI, 1945-1960; sports information director at Texas A&M University, 1960-1963; city hall reporter, regional editor, columnist at Southwest Times Record at Fort Smith, Arkansas, January 1964-July 1, 1992 (retirement).

Memberships and honors include: Texas Sports Writers Association, where chairman of Class AA high school all-state football teams, 1948-1954; Brenham Maifest Hall of Fame, inducted 1998; Spirit of the Frontier award City of Fort Smith, Arkansas, 1999; Brenham High School Football Hall of Honor, inducted 2000. He served on the Administrative Boards at both Brenham, 1924-1964 and Fort Smith First United Methodist Churches.

Preceding him in death were his parents and son Thomas Carlton Blake, Jr.

Surviving family members include: wife Marjorie Dahms Blake of Fort Smith; son Kelly Blake of Greenwood, Arkansas; daughters Elizabeth “Betsy” Berrier of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Nancy Blake of Cumming, Georgia; step-daughters Sandra Jones and Patty Smith of Fort Smith, Becky Hargrove of Rogers, Arkansas; stepson Donnie Howell of Claremore, Oklahoma; 15 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and his beloved dog Tiger.

Visitation will be Thursday, April 11th from noon until funeral service begins at 2:00 p.m. in Brenham Memorial Chapel with Rev. Dale Chance officiating. Interment follows at Prairie Lea Cemetery.

Pallbearers include John Barnhill Jr., William “Bill” Bosse, Eugene “Gene” Bredthauer, Arthur Al Geick, A.W. Hodde, Don Jones, Elroy Kiecke, Ed Kruse, Howard Kruse, Norwood Lange, Reese Lockett Jr., Dan O’Malley, Pierre Roberts, James Ullrich, Eddie Van Dyke and Homer Borgstedte.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham, TX. 979.836.3611 Condolences may be sent to www.brenhammemorialchapel.com