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Dale R. VanBlair, 96, of Belleville, Illinois, died Friday, September 15, 2017.
VanBlair was born June 17, 1921 in Quincy, Ill., which was also the hometown of his late wife, Mary, nee Stickler, VanBlair. They were married April 9, 1949 and were happily married for 53 years until Mary E.'s death in 2002.
For 26 years VanBlair taught at Belleville West High School until he retired in 1982 as Chairman of the English Department. In 2017 he was inducted into The Belleville West Wall of Fame.
Always on the go, VanBlair's passions included reading, his favorites being Thoreau, Twain, and Dickinson; fishing; bowling and had a perfect game at age 83 and again at 87; and archaeology, he was a ten year editor of the Central States Archaeological Society Journal. He was a proud WWII Army Air Forces veteran and wrote a book detailing his experiences as 8th Air Force Tail Gunner on a B-24, Looking Back: A Tail Gunner's View of WWII.
He was active in his church, Westview Baptist Church in Swansea, Ill., where he was honored as Deacon Emeritus. He was also a member of the VFW in Smithton, Ill.
VanBlair was preceded in death by his wife, Mary E., nee Stickler, VanBlair of Quincy/Belleville, Ill.; parents, Cecil and Lora, nee Orr, VanBlair, both of Quincy, Ill.
He is survived by his daughters, Deborah VanBlair of Belleville, Ill. and Karen (Doug) Weaver of Waterloo, Ill.; and granddaughter, Dr. Elizabeth (Dr. Dennis Moore) Weaver of Louisville, Ky.
Memorials may be made to the Westview Baptist Church in Swansea, Ill. Condolences may be expressed online at www.kurrusfh.com.
Visitation: Friends may call from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at Westview Baptist Church in Swansea, Ill.
Services: Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 a.m. at Westview Baptist Church, with Rev. Greg Sutter officiating. Private family interment Wednesday, September 20, 2017 will be held at Greenmount Cemetery, Quincy, Illinois.
KURRUS FUNERAL HOME, Belleville, Ill.
Published in Belleville News-Democrat on Sept. 17, 2017
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