Pauline L. Blake

Pauline Blake, 94, of Oskaloosa, passed away on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at the Mahaska Health Hospice Serenity House. Pauline Lucille Blake, daughter of Howard and Flossie (Caves) Robbins, was born on January 21, 1929, in Fremont, Iowa. Pauline was a 1946 graduate of Oskaloosa High School and attended beauty school in Ottumwa, Iowa. She worked at Merrill’s Beauty Shop in her early married life. Eventually, Pauline fixed people’s hair at different nursing homes in Oskaloosa. She worked three days each week, and her career there spanned 32 years. Pauline married the love of her life, George Blake, Jr., on November 20, 1949, in Cedar, Iowa. They lived in rural Oskaloosa for a short time before moving to 8th Avenue West. In 1972, they built and moved into their new home on South Market. Pauline loved to cook and bake and enjoyed giving everyone her baked goods. You couldn’t leave her house without a loaf of her banana bread! She hosted her family almost every Sunday for lunch and loved playing games, especially Pitch. In her later years, she liked to do puzzles and word searches. Pauline loved watching sports, mainly Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball and St. Louis Cardinals baseball. George and Pauline had a cabin on the Des Moines River for 30 years. They spent almost every summer weekend there with their children and grandchildren, hosting many other guests for Sunday lunches. George and Pauline spent many hours fishing together at area ponds, always competing for who could catch the most fish. She always won the bragging rights (since she didn’t bait her hook or take off the fish)! Pauline’s family includes her sons, daughter, and their spouses: Mike (Sharman) Blake of West Des Moines, Deb (Tom) Overbergen of Pella, Kevin (Sallie) Blake of Oskaloosa; seven grandchildren: Heidi (Matt) Hennig of West Des Moines, Blair (Alison) Blake of Wilmette, Illinois, Julie (Mike) Van Utrecht of New Sharon, Jennifer (Lane) Matice of Pella, Steven (Miranda) Overbergen of Altoona, Lindsey (Brett) Herny of Oskaloosa, Grant (Chelsea) Blake of Cedar Rapids; fifteen great-grandchildren: Cash, Heath, and Cheyenne Hennig, Sawyer and Bennett Blake, Lexi and Maddie Van Utrecht, Mackenzie Overbergen, Maxon Matice, Blake, Brody, and Boston Herny, Paityn, Scarlett, and Tate Hartsock. She is also survived by a brother, Paul Robbins of Omaha. In addition to her parents, Pauline is also preceded in death by her brothers: Dale, Harold, Dwight Dave, Rex, and Keith Robbins, and her three sisters: Dorothy Bunting, Liz Dalbey, and Carolyn Brummel. Funeral services for Pauline will be held on Monday, February 6, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., at the Langkamp Funeral Chapel, with Mike and Kevin Blake officiating. Visitation will begin at noon, on Sunday, with the family present from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Per her wishes, her body will be cremated following the services and burial of ashes will take place at Forest Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mahaska Health Hospice Serenity House.

Pauline L. Blake

January 21, 1929 - February 2, 2023