LeAnn M. Blake

LeAnn M. Blake, age 74, of Key West, IA passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 17th, at Mercy Medical Center surrounded by her family.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 21st at St. Raphael’s Cathedral with Msgr. Toale officiating. Burial will be in the Mount Olivet Cemetery. Friends may call from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20th at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Rd, where there will be a wake service at 2:00 p.m.

LeAnn was born on June 20th, 1943 in Dubuque, IA the daughter of John and Agnetta (Mesch) Biechler and was the second of seven children. She grew up in Key West, Iowa, where she attended St. Joe’s Key West. In 1959, she met Ted Blake and they married on November 5th, 1960. The two enjoyed 57 years of marriage filled with love, laughs, family, friends, and lots of beer.

LeAnn drove school bus for the Dubuque Community School District for 26 years. She was a “Road Checker”. Here she also earned the nickname “Ma” and was referred to as “Ma” by many of her students. Following her retirement, she pursued her passion and spent much of her time cooking and baking. Her kitchen creations enabled her love to give, and she always put her heart and soul into her gifts. Everyone is welcome in LeAnn’s kitchen. She also enjoyed sewing quilts, gardening and canning. Her friends and family were cherished. Some of her favorite activities included having breakfast at Market on Saturday mornings, dinner and lunch dates with girlfriends, and playing dominoes. She also enjoyed cooking for her grandchildren and watching them all excel in sports. Her grandchildren will forever cherish the days when they could walk into Grandma’s house and be greeted by the smell of freshly cooked bacon. Her grand-puppy, Sandy, was her greatest companion, and he will miss the human food treats he could count on from Grandma. She was also very proud of her most recent title, great grandmother.

She is survived by her husband: Ted, Key West, IA, her five children: Jeff (Ann) Blake, Key West, IA, Gary (Dawn) Blake, Dubuque, IA, Lynn (Dave) Tomkins, Dubuque, IA, Jay (Jamie) Blake, Dubuque, IA, MaryAnn (Carl) Reimer, Peosta, IA, her nine grandchildren: Dan (Tiff) and Rob Blake, Brittany Blake, Chris Tomkins, Michael, Jessica, and Johnny Blake, Lynsey and Cody Reimer, her two great-grandchildren: Maddelyn Blake, Mason Tigges, and two step-grandchildren: Whitney and Austin Putchio, her mother-in-law: Dorothy Blake, Omaha, NE, her former daughter in-law: Vicki Blake, her siblings: Mary Jo (Jim) Latimer, Oregon, WI, Daryl Biechler, Dubuque, IA, Dean (Denise) Biechler, Ames, IA, Dan (Nancy) Biechler, Marion, IA, and Denis (Connie) Biechler, Ames, IA, her aunt & godmother, Irma Gibbs, Bellevue, IA, her uncle & godfather, Clem Mesch, Arizona, and many girlfriends.

She is preceded in death by her granddaughter: Laura Tomkins, parents: John and Agnetta (Mesch) Biechler and brother: Richard Biechler.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Whalen, Dr. Ringold, and the staff at Tri-State Dialysis for the loving care and support over the last ten and a half years. LeAnn considered everyone at Tri-State Dialysis family. They would also like to thank Mercy CVU and ICU staff. 

 Service Information