Martha Blake

Martha Blake, age 91, of Graceville, MN, passed away on Friday, September 30, 2022, at Essentia Health – Grace Home. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Graceville. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the church with a prayer service and Rosary beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to the Mass at the church on Wednesday. Fr. David Breu will celebrate the Mass and interment will be at Graceville Consolidated Cemetery. 

The service will be livestreamed and recorded and will be viewable at the bottom of this page. 

Martha Marie (Chalupnik) Blake was born on October 14, 1930, in New Hradec, ND, to Anton and Rosalia (Karsky) Chalupnik. She was baptized on October 19, 1930, at the Church of St. Peter and Paul in New Hradec. Martha attended school at St. Mary’s Academy in Graceville and graduated with the Class of 1948.

On June 11, 1952, Martha was united in marriage with Francis Joseph “Joe” Blake at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Graceville. Together, Martha and Joe were blessed with 13 children.

Martha was a hard worker and in addition to raising her children and keeping her home, she worked as a waitress and as a housekeeper at Grace Home for 30 years. Martha was also very active in the Graceville community. She was a member of the American Auxiliary, was a 4-H leader, was a member of Prairie Action 5, and the Sweet Adelines. Martha was an avid volunteer with the Graceville Senior Center and the Daughters of Isabella. She was a faithful and active member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church where she served as a religion class teacher and sang in the church choir.

A wonderful, affectionate woman, Martha lived for her children and grandchildren, always having a long hug and treats for all of them. Her family never left her home hungry or without a pampering of one kind or another.

Left to cherish Martha’s memory are her children: Elizabeth Parrow-Hawkins of Browns Valley, MN; Joseph (Cindy) Blake of Wichita, KS; Edward Blake of Browns Valley, MN; David (Cindy) Blake of Syracuse, NY; Michael (Marie) Blake of Redding, CA; Mary (Dean) Schwagel of Browns Valley, MN; Carol (Mark) Findlay of Beardsley, MN; Alice (Mike) Downing of Minneota, MN; Rose (Dan) Pasilas of Savannah, GA; Barbara (Doug) Olson of Herman, MN; Patrick (Daynelle) Blake of Fargo, ND; Karen (John) Stielow of Sauk Rapids, MN; and Tony (Karen) Blake of Fargo, ND; 24 grandchildren: Heather, Michelle, Dan, Amy, Annie, Tim, Vanessa, Ethan, Priscilla, Crystal, Francis, Mitch, Nick, Luke, Katie, Carrie, Keith, Trent, Joseph, Keegan, Emilee, Alexis, John, and Jacque; 33 great-grandchildren: brothers: George (Andree) Chalupnik; and Larry (Dagmar) Chalupnik; sisters: Henrietta Johanson; Rosemary Medbery; and Mary Jane (Richard) Tschakert; sisters-in-law: Georgiann Chalupnik; and Carole Chalupnik; along with many nieces and nephews.

Martha’s guardian angels who greeted her: husband Francis “Joe” Blake; parents, Anton and Rosalia Chalupnik; parents-in-law, James and Veronica Blake; grandchildren: Tim Parrow; and Becky Parrow; sisters: Lillian (Herman) Koch; Dorothy (Richard) Fischer; Elsie Chalupnik in infancy; and Gladys (David) Steen; brothers: Anthony Chalupnik; Ludwig Chalupnik in infancy; Raymond (Betty) Chalupnik; and Donald Chalupnik; sons-in-law: Don Parrow; and Rich Hawkins; brothers-in-law: Bernard (Emma) Blake; and Vernon (Alice) Blake; and nieces and nephews.