Obituary of Aro Blake

Aro Ioma Holmes Blake was born to the union of Oscar Holmes and Sallie Curry Holmes on April 26, 1912 and died on March 20, 2013 after a severe stroke. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Roy P. Blake, three sons, Raleigh Dale Blake, Kenneth Holmes Blake, and Donald Roy Blake, her two brothers, Grady Holmes and Clayton Holmes, her sister, Lessie Hemphill, three grandchildren, Johnny Blake, Eddie Dean Blake, and John Boy Blake and daughter-in-law, Shirley Blake. She is survived by two daughters, Frances Blake Spence and husband Alvin of Urania and Sallie Blake Lowery and husband Donny Joe of Olla and her adopted daughter, Peggy Blake of Olla, two daughters-in-law, Lavenia Blake of Georgetown and Gwen Blake of West Monroe. There are 17 living grandchildren and many great amd great-great grandchildren. She helped to raise two nieces, and two grandchildren and was "Mom and/or Granny" to a great host of people. She was a faithful member of Pinehill Baptist Church and lived out her faith for the last year at the Haven Nursing Home, where she was greatly loved by staff and residents that she loved dearly also. She was a "listening ear" for all her pastors who she felt were her sons. One of her greatest joys was "babying" someone, so you could always depend on a good meal and some "strong" coffee when you visited. Cooking and sharing was what she wanted most to do. She was especially well-known for her pecan pies (which she baked until age 98 for the Central State Fair at Olla). She also loved to garden and put up vegetables. Daddy would bring in fruit that he found on various old home places and she made jelly and kept everyone supplied. She loved quilting with friends at a "quilting bee" and sewing (without pattern) was a great joy to her. Funeral services will be at 3:00 PM Friday, March 22, 2013 at Pinehill Baptist Church with Bro. David McGuffe, Bro. Johnnie Phillips, Bro. Bobby Rodrigue, and Bro. Tony Wilson officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the church and from 1:00 PM until service time Friday at the church. Pallbearers will be Jeff, Tim, and Kevin Spence, Q.T. Blake, Stephen Ingle, Jeffrey Finley, Mike McCain, and Joseph White. You may send online condolences to the Blake family at www.riserfuneralhomes.com