Coeur d'Alene Press - The Daily Bee Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho <> Submitted by: Kristy Taylor [muddypaw@onemain.com] Lylas Blair, 75 Lylas Nadene Robertson Blair, 75, a longtime resident of Elk, Wash., passed away peacefully on Oct. 4, 2004, in Coeur d'Alene. Hazel Lucille (Calkins) and Vernon Edwin Robertson welcomed the birth of their first child, Lylas, on May 18, 1929, in The Dalles, Ore., where their family continued to grow with the additions of Lylas' brothers Jack and Richard. The early years were spent on their farm, growing cherries and raising various animals in the hills southeast of town. Her father passed away when Lylas was 13 years of age. During the next several difficult years, she went to live with her aunt and uncle, Hazel and Richard Brace, while attending school in The Dalles. Lylas was the "high stepping" Drum Majorette for the high school Booster Girls Club, and participated in girls athletics. She also worked in the movie theater and did various modeling jobs for local clothing store advertising. After graduating from high school in 1948, Lylas attended Yakima Valley College, where she was active in girls sports and was voted homecoming queen in her freshman year. There, she met her eternal sweetheart. Lylas married Dale Eugene Blair on Aug. 27, 1950, in The Dalles. They moved to Pullman, Wash., where they attended Washington State College. After Dale graduated with a teaching degree, they moved to Spokane, where they raised their five children. In 1968, the family moved to a farm near Elk, Wash., giving them room to raise animals, grow field crops, a large vegetable garden and enjoy the natural wildlife that Lylas loved so much. The family was very active and involved in many community activities, including years of 4-H, when Lylas participated as a leader. She was a first class amateur ham operator, excellent seamstress, homemaker and gardener, and made the best fresh breads. Lylas was a very talented artist, painting many realistic canvas oils and also delved into leather tooling, throwing pottery and numerous other crafts throughout the years. She played the piano and sang in the church choir of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with which she was a member. Her life and love were always first with her family and 13 grandchildren. The last couple of years following a disabling stroke and Dale's death, Lylas has had wonderful assisted care in the "BeeHive Homes" in Coeur d'Alene. Lylas was preceded in death by her parents, Vernon "Dick" and Hazel, and husband of 51 years, Dale. She is survived by her children, L. Duane and Tricia Blair of Elk, Wash., Janna Blair and Greg Houff, Cheney, Wash., Karel and Roderick Kent, Coeur d'Alene, Kim and Steve Dilley, Pasco, Wash., Gail and Larry Ferrell, Colbert, Wash. "Grammie" will be greatly missed by her grandchildren Zella, Lucy and Blaine Blair, Torin and Marina Houff, Darcy, Brenna and Tawny Dunn, Rachel (and Dallas) Jenkinson and Brian Dilley, Michelle, Marcus and Stephanie Ferrell. She is also survived by her brothers and their wives, Jack and Donna Robertson, Richard and Pauline Robertson, all of The Dalles; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. October 9 at Heritage Funeral Home, 508 N. Government Way, Spokane, WA 99224, (509) 838-8900 Memorial contributions may be made to benefit worldwide disaster relief and humanitarian aid to: LDS Church Humanitarian Services, COB, 50 E. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150. ************************************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************