Obituary of Bobby Ward Blake

Mr. Bobby Ward Blake, 81, of Stuart, VA, formerly of Chapel Hill, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.

Bobby loved his Lord, and his family was so important to him.  He was a quiet, gentle, and humble man who mentored and served as a father-figure to so many young people who crossed his path along their way.  He was always willing to offer to them his heartfelt guidance and advice.  He was truly always willing to give someone a helping hand.  This was evident at the Etna Station on Franklin Street that he managed for over 20 years by the constant flow of visitors who made it a gathering spot due to his warmth and sincerity.  After he left the station, he worked for Orange County Landfill as a Weigh Master before retiring.

Bobby was a lifelong member of Carrboro Baptist Church.  He was also a gifted artist and mechanic which helped to fuel his love of all things Chevrolet (especially his 1962 409 Impala), NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt, and Leonard Wood/Wood Brothers Racing.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 11 am in The Chapel at Walker’s Funeral Home in Chapel Hill with Mr. Michael Poole presiding.  The burial will follow at Westwood Cemetery in Carrboro.

Bobby was preceded in death by his parents, Billie Blake and Clara Horton.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Darlene Blake; two daughters, Rebecca Blake Lewis and Elizabeth Blake Beyle (Jon); five grandchildren, Taylor Rebecca Beyle, James Christopher Lewis (Abby), Jordan Elizabeth Beyle, Blake Andrew-Horton Lewis, and Jon Ward Beyle (Melissa); one great grandson, Levi Mathias Lewis; his stepmother, Marie Neville Blake; his siblings, Billy Van Blake (Cheryl), Ted Neville Blake (Cindy) and Sandra Blake Lemons; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends prior to the service on Saturday from 10 to 11 am at the funeral home.

The family would like to acknowledge and thank Henry and Gloria Schwarting, Eva and Larry Hopkins, Alice Cobbler, Stuart Presbyterian Church (especially Danny Redman) and Mountain Valley Hospice (specifically, Shelley, Jessica, and Joe).

Memorials may be made to either Stuart Presbyterian Church, PO Box 944, Stuart VA 24171 or to Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 730 East Church Street Suite 13, Martinsville, VA 24112.

The family is being assisted by Walker’s Funeral Home in Chapel Hill.