Dean Blatchley went to be with the Lord Sept.
24, 2012. Funeral services will be held at the New Plymouth, ID Assembly
of God Church on Sat. Sept. 29, 2012 at 10 a.m. Services are under the
direction of Haren-Wood Funeral Chapel in Payette.
Dean was born in Lebanon, Oregon. to Carl and Marie Blatchley. He
lived with his grandparents for two years when he was a baby due to his
father being crippled with rheumatoid arthritis. He moved back home at
the age of 4. He went to the Lebanon schools his entire school years,
and graduated from Lebanon High.
Dean met Florence Yates shortly after high school and they were
married October 4, 1940 in Stevenson, WA. He then enlisted in the Army
in 1941 in the infantry as a paratrooper. He was wounded in WWII in
Normandy, France and received a Purple Heart for his injuries in the
line of duty. He was honorably discharged in 1943 [typo, probably
should be 1945].
He then went to embalming college and received his degree and worked
as a funeral director in Springfield, Oregon. He also went to Bible
College and became a minister for the Assembly of God Churches.
He and Florence started a church in Alpine, Oregon from 1954-1956,
they then moved to Portland, where they worked with Rev. Phillips to
start Calvary Temple Assembly of God. After living in Wallowa for four
years they moved to Imbler, Oregon where they opened the Assembly of God
Church that had been closed for four years.
Dean served in all aspects of the ministry. They moved to Vale in
1969 where they pastored the Assembly of God Church. Since 1971 Dean has
resided in Payette, Idaho where he has actively supported the ministries
of the Assembly of God churches in the area.
In 1956 Dean and Florence adopted a two year old boy named Mike. Five
years later, they adopted three more children: Cheryl, age 5, Darrell,
age 4, and Patti, age 3.
Dean is survived by his children: Cheryl (Reed) Hoskinson, of Rigby,
ID, Darrell (Sandy) Blatchley, of the Philippines, and Patti (Jim)
Grimbly, of Payette, ID; grandchildren: Donald Blatchley, Vel Debbin,
Derese MacAbee, Chrissy McCaslin, Darrell D. Blatchley, James Yarbrough,
Ken Blatchley, Dale McCaslin, David Blatchley, and Dustin Blatchley; 22
great-grandchildren, and one more to be born this year; his
sisters-in-law: Eva Moore, of Astoria, OR, and Barbara Yates, of Weiser,
ID; as well as many nieces, nephews, and great friends, including his
very special friend in Kansas, Velma Smith.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Florence Blatchley; parents:
Carl and Marie Blatchley; brothers: Ken and Donald Blatchley; and son,
Mike Blatchley.
Through Dean's years he has been a truck driver, photographer,
swimmer/lifeguard, funeral director, minister and evangelist, logger,
amateur boxer, dairy worker and hop farm worker, sold farm implements,
as well as owner of Dean's Supply Company in Wallowa, Oregon and a
hearing aid company in Payette, Idaho.
Dean was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather,
friend, and devoted Christian. He will be greatly missed. Everyone he
met became his friend. He was proud of his children and family and never
hesitated to let them know of his love. |
[courtesy of Cheryl Hanson]
Grave marker for Lambert D. (aka L. Dean) Blatchley in
Rosedale Memorial Gardens, Payette (Payette county), Idaho.
Dean enlisted in the Army
at Portland, OR on 26 October 1942.
Pvt Blatchley was
transferred from Field Force Replacement Depot 19 to Company G, 508th
PIR on 28 May 1944.
On 18 June 1944 Pvt
Blatchley was wounded in action in France and was evacuated to a field
hospital.
On 27 September 1944,
still recovering from his wound, he was transferred to the hospital's
Department of Patients and dropped from the 508th rolls. He did
not return to the regiment..
Blatchley's military
decorations include the Purple Heart and the Bronze Service Star device
awarded for participation in the Normandy assault. |