John Francis Blake, J.D.

BLAKE, J.D., John F., age 82, of Wilmington, Ohio, died Sunday, October 20, 2019 at home after a brief illness. John was born March 9, 1937 in Dayton to William Anthony and Mary (Kennedy) Blake. A 1955 graduate of Chaminade High School, John served in the U.S. Army in Germany from 1956-58 as an air traffic controller, with the Central Intelligence Agency from 1960-63, and then retired as Commander, US Naval Reserve in 1995 after 27 years’ service.
During his undergraduate years at the University of Dayton, John was a founding member and president of the UD Veterans’ Club. He earned his Juris Doctorate in 1970 from Ohio Northern University and began his law career with the firm of Turner & Badger in Mount Vernon, OH, also serving as Assistant County Prosecutor for Knox County. From July 1972 until retirement in 2000, he was Prosecuting Attorney for the City of Kettering and a member of the Traffic Law Committee for the Ohio Bar Association.
John married Kathleen Higgins in March 1968, sharing 51 years together. She survives as do six children: Mary Kathryn of Huntington Beach, CA; Stephen of Denver, CO; Ellen of San Francisco, CA; Christopher (Kathleen) of Dublin, OH; Susan (Geoff Harris) of Meridian, ID; and Kevin (Chelsea) of Washington, DC. John was grandfather to Brennan McGurr, William, Nora and Wilfred Blake, Colton and Clare Harris. Also surviving are brother Gerald of Overland Park, KS and sister Mary of Thorton, CO. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Robert Moleme Blake, brother William Blake, sister-in-law Ginger Abrey Blake and niece Theresa Ann Lovell.
John’s involvement in the community included the Inland Children’s Chorus, post-Vietnam War POW-MIA committees, Dayton Catholic Alumni Club, Clinton County Regional Planning Commission, and Finance Committees for St. Augustine Church, Waynesville and more recently Holy Family Catholic Church of Dayton.
A Traditional Latin Requiem Mass will be offered at Holy Family Catholic Church, Fifth & Findley Streets, Dayton on Thursday, October 24, 2019 at 10:30am. Interment at Calvary Cemetery. The family will greet friends Wednesday, October 23 from 4 until 6 pm at Westbrock Funeral Home, 1712 Wayne Avenue. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, PO Box 147, 7880 W. Denton Road, Denton, NE 68339-0147 or Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey 5804 W. Monastery Road, Hulbert OK 74441.