Herbert Sowers Blakely, age 81, died Wednesday, January 14, 2015 in Clayton, New Mexico.
The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 18th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, January 19, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church in Clayton, New Mexico with Rev. Robert Hunt, pastor and Terrell Jones, pastor of the Trinity Fellowship Church in Clayton officiating. Burial will follow in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Home of Clayton.
Herbert Sowers Blakely was born on February 26, 1933, in Springer, New Mexico to Herbert Rhea Blakely and Winifred (Sowers) Blakely. He moved to Union County at the age of ten. He attended school in Thomas for one year and then in Clayton where he graduated from Clayton High School in 1951. Herb farmed and ranched near Clayton for several years and owned and operated the Sears store in Clayton, he also went into the insurance business in 1962. In 1971 he sold the insurance business and moved to Raton, New Mexico where he worked for Elco Metal Products Corporation. Herb married Carrell (Azar) Blakely on August 31, 1972 in Raton, New Mexico. In 1975 Elco moved to Harper, Kansas. They moved to Harper and Herb was the plant manager for several years until he retired and they moved back to Clayton where Herb resumed ranching and later served as Union County Magistrate Judge. Herb had been a small plane pilot for many years, he received his pilots license when he was 17 years old and owned his first plane before he owned his first car. Carrell also got her private pilot’s license and they enjoyed flying together for many years. In addition to his parents, Herb was preceded in death by a daughter; Anita Riley on July 15, 2010 and by two half-brothers; Gary Blakely and Keith Blakely.
SURVIVORS:
WIFE: Carrell Blakely of Clayton, New Mexico.
1 SON: Alan Blakely of La Veta, Colorado.
2 DAUGHTERS: Sherry Huddleston of Bogata, Texas and Gaylene Smith of Fort Worth, Texas.
2 STEP-SONS: Mick Pugh and Rick Pugh and his wife Jan all of Harper, Kansas.
11 Grandchildren
15 Great-Grandchildren
1 SISTER: Carol Combs and her husband Mars of Kim, Colorado and their daughters Melissa & Cindy and families.
