Robert (Bob) Allen Blake of rural Frederic, Wisconsin passed away after a sudden illness, peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family and friends, on December 16, 2021, at age 78.

He was born January 15, 1943, in Belvidere, Illinois to Frank and Elizabeth Blake of rural Garden Prairie, Illinois.

Bob was active in 4-H Young Producers Club as soon as he was old enough to take part until he graduated from the 4-H program. He was also very active in the FFA program at Belvidere High School. It was the FFA program that gave him a good foundation for his public speaking and his knowledge of parliamentary procedure in which he was well versed. Bob showed dairy animals at the Boone County Fair for many years for both 4-H and FFA. Bob graduated from Belvidere High School in 1961. He worked on and off the farm for a few years before attending Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. After college, he was drafted into the Army and served at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. When his dad became very ill, the Army sent Bob home on an honorable hardship discharge to run his parents’ dairy farm. After the family sold the dairy herd, Bob began crop farming and raising some beef cattle and pigs. He bought the farm from his parents in 1973 and continued grain and hog farming. Bob was a member of the Boone County Farm Bureau and was awarded the Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year in about 1976. In March of 1978. Bob was awarded the Degree of Honorary Chapter Farmer of the Belvidere Chapter of Future Farmers of America

Bob grew up in Spring Township, a special, tight knit farming community, where everyone helped each other out. He treasured lifelong friendships from his childhood in that area and a few that were high school friends. He always said he grew up in the best of times.

On December 14, 1974, he was united in marriage to Marilyn (Culvey) Blake. They had one child, a daughter, Katie Rebecca Blake, in 1977.

Bob enjoyed being active in the world of local politics. He believed he could make an impact toward the betterment of his community and felt an obligation to serve. He was an avid defender of the Constitution of the United States. He was a member of the Boone County Illinois County Board from December 1974 until he and his family moved to a farm near Frederic, Wisconsin, in July of 1979. He served as the County Board Chairman for Boone County Illinois from December 1976 through June, 1979.

He was a prolific writer of letters to the editor both in Illinois and in Wisconsin. He felt strongly about issues and was always ready at the keyboard to express his opinion with wit and persuasion. He received lots of good reactions from those who agreed with his point of view and even sometimes from others who took exception to his opinion. He always had a response ready and did a lot of reading and research to back up his opinions. Criticism didn’t seem to affect the way he felt or his ability to reply. He was genuinely convicted in his beliefs and in his dedication to rule and order in conducting business in the boardroom. Those who served with him respected him as an expert parliamentarian even if they didn’t agree with him on the issues.

After moving to Wisconsin in 1979, he and Marilyn operated Blakehome North dairy farm until 1986. During this time, he became a member of the Polk County WI Farm Bureau. In 1986 Bob decided to finish his degree and enrolled at Concordia College in St. Paul MN where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He continued his education at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul MN working on his master’s degree in organizational management. During that time, he served as representative and Town Chairman on the Lorain Town Board. Bob also served as the President of the Frederic School Board while Katie was in school. In the early 2000’s he served six years on the Polk County Board of Supervisors and was elected Chairman for one term. He was proud to be recognized for playing an influential role in updating the Polk County emergency communication system.

In 1989 he took a job with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection as a food inspector. He always thought his dad would have slapped his knee laughing to think that Bob, a farmer, became the “milk inspector”. During the years the Blakes operated their dairy farm the milk inspector was never a highly regarded person. Bob worked for 16 years for WDATCP, retiring at age 62.

Bob has been a long time member of the Indian Creek American Legion Post 0396.

Bob loved horses and had two nice pairs of driving horses over the years. He enjoyed sitting on the box seat and driving himself but truly cherished watching Katie and Marilyn drive and show the horses at carriage shows around the Midwest. He loved treating friends and neighbors to sleigh rides in snowy farm fields followed by hot chocolate warmed on the wood cook stove in his converted milk house/party room.

When Katie was getting started in 4-H we had to take her about thirty miles every week to practice riding her horse to make sure it was safe and ready to be shown at the fair. Over just a few years there were about sixteen youth in our area that also needed to go to that training center. So, we started a training center for Indian Creek 4-H kids at our home. From that grew an amazing group of friends and neighbors and youth that we otherwise would never have gotten acquainted with and learned to love. It blossomed into a weekly community potluck after each training night. Those horse kids, who aren’t kids anymore, and their parents have continued to be a part of our lives. Bob has commented many times that those 10 years of having the kids riding and driving their horses at our house were some of the best years of his life.

Bob loved babies and children as much as he loved anything. He has been a beloved uncle and great uncle to all his siblings’ children and their children. He loved nothing better than snuggling a little baby.

Bob was a handy man, jack of all trades. It seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t fix. He enjoyed working on wood projects in his shop. He rebuilt and refinished several family antique pieces of furniture.
Bob also enjoyed working on metal projects. If someone needed something he could usually find a way to make it for them. He was instrumental in helping his son-in-law, Paul, with kennel projects.

Bob was predeceased by his father, Frank Blake and his mother, Elizabeth Blake and a six-week-old brother Gary Blake and sister-in-law, Shirley Culvey, brothers-in-law, William L. (Bill) Culvey and Neil McCoy.

Bob is survived by his wife, Marilyn of 47 years, his daughter Katie and her husband Paul Cook of Danbury, WI. He is also survived by his three sisters, Ruth Ann Rooks of Charlottesville, VA, Fran (Chuck) Drewes of Roscoe, IL and Mary Ellen (Vern) Neumueller of Medford WI. In addition, he is survived by his sister-in-law, Eileen (Culvey) McCoy of Ava, MO, brothers-in-law Jim Culvey and friend Sandy Feltz of Belvidere, IL, and Dan (June) Culvey of Marion, KY. He is survived by many special nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his adopted friend family, Peggy Gabrielson and Joe Zellner, Vanessa (Dave) Daley and their children Layla B, Paige and Henry, Audra (Vince) Paul and their son Jackson, Dustin (Kelly) Gabrielson and their sons Brock and Scout. He is lovingly referred to as Papa Bob by that family.

Services will be held on Monday, December 20, 2021, at Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home in Webster, WI. Visitation will be at 10:00 am and the service will be at 11:00 am. A luncheon will follow at Clam Falls Lutheran Church.

Bob will be buried at Shattuck’s Grove Cemetery, 9600 Reeds Crossing Road, Belvidere, IL 61008, on Wednesday December 22, 2021, at 11:00 am.

Last Update: Dec 20, 2021 12:31 pm CST