1926 ~ 2021 (age 95)
Dr. Laura Eugenia Quinn Blake, 95, passed away Saturday, July 24, 2021 at her home in Chadbourn.
Born July 3, 1926, “Genie” was the daughter of the late James Luther and Myrtle Lee Quinn of Chinquapin. She was preceded in death by her husband John Milton Mills Blake and siblings Emory Quinn, Robert Quinn, James Lee Quinn, Dorris Koontz and Johnny Quinn.
She grew up in Chinquapin and attended Flora Macdonald College and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a member of the Marching Tar Heels and earned her Bachelor of Arts in 1947. She married John Milton Mills Blake in Aug. 10, 1951.
Genie went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Education from UNC in 1959 and her PhD in Philosophy in 1965. She was a proud lifetime member of the UNC General Alumni Association.
Dr. Blake retired from the state of North Carolina after 30 years in education. In that time, she was a classroom teacher and high school supervisor for Columbus County Schools plus she was an assistant principal and principal for Whiteville City Schools. Dr. Blake also was a professor of education at Campbell University and was a 50+ year member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society Omega Chapter where she served as president among other roles. She was on the Board of Trustees at Davidson College.
An artist by nature, Dr. Blake enjoyed sketching and painting, most often capturing the beauty of nature or people. She was a lover of music and a talented pianist. She played the organ at Chadbourn Presbyterian Church for decades, including many weddings. She was also an elder of Chadbourn Presbyterian Church.
Dr. Blake also enjoyed traveling with her husband Milton. Whether it was to a horse show to drive one of their antique carriages or one of the various trips they made to Europe, they loved to explore the world side by side.
The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 27 at Chadbourn Presbyterian Church followed by the funeral service starting at 11. A graveside service will follow at the Chadbourn Memorial Cemetery. Worthington Funeral Home in Chadbourn is handling the arrangements.
She is survived by her two sons, John Milton Mills Blake Jr. (Kathy) of Chadbourn and Frank Quinn Blake (Cathy) of Surf City; four grandchildren, Laura Blake of Raleigh, Meredith Blake Tedder (Byron) of Whiteville, Quinn Blake (Natalie) of High Point and Curren Blake Cole (Logan) of Pickens, S.C.; and two great-grandchildren, Briley Franklin Tedder and Connor Blake Tedder, both of Whiteville.
Memorials may be made to Chadbourn Presbyterian Church, 600 E. First Avenue, Chadbourn, N.C. 28431
