George Blakey Obituary, Death – George Henry Blakey, the son of LeRoy Sr. and Thelma Jane (Trudell) Blakey, was born on August 27, 1949 in Yankton, South Dakota. His parents were named LeRoy Sr. and Thelma Jane (Trudell). He spent his childhood there and received his education there. After some time had passed, he went on to get a vocational degree in the maintenance of minor appliances. Over the course of his adult life, George spent the majority of it working as a truck driver. He was devoted to his work. After that, he worked for Builder’s Supply Co. as a manufacturer of commercial windows and doors till he finally retired in the year 2012.
At the Martinus Lutheran Church in rural Utica, South Dakota, on March 9, 1971, he wed Diann Voll, and the two became husband and wife. After settling down in Yankton for a year, the pair moved to Billings, Montana for a year, and then to Sioux Falls, where they remained until 1982, when they relocated to an acreage close to Tea. In 1986, the pair made Tea their permanent home after moving there for the first time.
Tea’s Trinity Lutheran Church was one of George’s churches of affiliation. In his spare time, he enjoyed bringing classic automobiles back to their former glory. He was at his happiest when he had a wrench in his hands, and he was particularly pleased with the fact that he had restored a 1976 Ford F100 pickup. George was a man of the family who was loyal to his family and had a strong love for them. Both he and Diann had made their home available to a large number of children who lacked parents. “Poppy G” was what his grandchildren and many of the children in the area called him.
In addition to his parents, George was predeceased by his baby daughter, Sara, as well as four of his siblings, Mary, Wynona, Doris, and LeRoy. His wife of over 51 years, Diann; their children Rebecca Blakey of Tea, Joshua Blakey of Indianapolis, Matthew Turner Blakey of Sioux Falls, Matthew James Blakey of Sioux Falls, and Toni Blakey of Tennessee; ten grandchildren; two sisters: Angie (Robert) Kirschman of Yankton and Phyllis Thorton of Yankton; and a host of other relatives and friends are thankful for the opportunity to have shared his life.