Col. Hu Al Blake, USA, Ret., age 89, of Knoxville, died at home following a lengthy battle with cancer. Dr. Blake was born in Erwin, TN and raised in Spartanburg, SC. He attended the Citadel Military College of SC, where he was a boxing cham pion three years, and a runner and pole-vaulter for the track team. Upon graduation in 1943 he was commissioned into the regular Army and in 1946 graduated from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He spent 23 years as a surgeon in the Army Medical Corps. While Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, he assisted with the second open-heart surgery ever performed. He was a liaison officer with four assignments to Korea. Dr. Blake established the first Armed Forces blood vessel bank. He was selected as the First Commander of a Combined Services Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan and helped establish the Nationalist Chinese Chest Surgery Service. While stationed at Walter Reed Hospital, Dr. Blake was Chief of Thoracic/ Vascular Surgery and was instrumental in establishing the open-heart surgery program for the army. Dr. Blake was Chief of General Surgery and Thoracic/ Cardiac Surgery at Brooke General Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX, where he helped establish their open-heart surgery program. During his army career he received numerous accommodations and medals, including the “”A”” prefix, which is the highest skill rating for key personnel of the Army Medical Services. Dr. Blake retired from the army as a colonel and moved to Knoxville, where he became Professor and Chief of Surgery at UT Hospital for 15 years. He helped establish one of the most successful open-heart surgery programs in the region. Throughout his prestigious medical career, Dr. Blake was known as a “pioneer” and “renaissance man.” He served on five presidential care teams, published multiple articles in medical/scientific journals, led numerous conferences, and was a member/officer of multiple professional organizations/societies. He cared for and met many dignitaries, but none influenced him more than the disadvantaged he had the privilege of caring for at UT Hospital. After retiring from medicine, Dr. Blake stayed busy with his many varied hobbies. He was a voracious reader with interests in the civil war, religiou history, bibliographies and geology. He collected fossils and loved “digs” to deserted coalmines. He enjoyed hiking, traveling, and was an accomplished woodworker. He loved yard work and was happiest when on his farm. Dr. Blake could best be described as a “”lifelong learner,”” and often said, “” I’ve never met anyone I couldn’t learn from.”” He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard E. and Dora W. Blake, his loving first wife of 45 years, Louise G. (Suzy) Blake, his brother-in-law, C.L. (Toots) Blazer and his niece Tarney Blazer. He is survived by his devoted wife of 19 and half years, Penny Monday Blake; three sons and their families, Hu, Kay and Ian of Arizona; Randall, Lauri, Randy and Suzi of Texas; Andrew, Kiwako, Adam, Austin and Aaron of Oak Ridge; stepchildren and families, Joy, Nathan, Zoe and Aiden Fowler of Ohio; Paul and Sarah Smith of Knoxville; sister, Jean Blazer, of Maryville; niece and husband, Jill and John Rollins; nephews and families, Billy and Sarah Blazer, Buddy Blazer, and Winston, Chris, Katherine and Grady Blazer; and faithful dog, “Harley.” Memorial Service Tuesday 7:00 p.m. at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel with Chaplains George Doebler and Steve Sexton officiating. Family and friends will then gather on Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. at Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery for a 9:30 a.m. service with full military honors provided by Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to UT Medical Center for The Heart Lung Vascular Institute or The Jane A. Hudson Nursing Endowment Fund. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. Tags: 1943
Posted in:
Posted on:
Link to original obituary: