Eudora Blair

Eudora Blair, age 90, passed away peacefully at home with her family on Saturday, January 12, 2019. Our beloved wife, mother and grandmother was born December 2 1928, in Sherman, Texas to the late T.J. and Christell Riley. All who loved Eudora are sad to say goodbye but feel so blessed to know she lived a full, long life.

Upon moving to Saginaw from Sherman, Texas, Eudora became one of the Tuscola Street location founding members of St. Luke CME Church, taking pride in being a part of the committee that helped raise funds towards the purchase of its current location. Eudora loved her church family and was very dedicated by serving over fifty years in various ministries and capacities, including singing in the Senior Choir, being a former Sunday school teacher and serving on both the Trustee and Senior Usher Boards.

On July 31, 1971, Eudora married Mr. Ollie Lee Blair, Sr., the “love of her life” as she always sweetly referred to him. Together they enjoyed many things over the years, especially working in the yard outside, gardening, and planting flowers.

Eudora was a hard worker, retiring from Sears Roebuck and Co. located inside the Fashion Square Mall after 25 years of service. In her retirement, she sometimes went fishing with Ollie, and enjoyed meeting her girlfriends (former co-workers) for lunch dates and riding around shopping with her granddaughters. “Granny” as she was called by her grandchildren, had an unforgettable personality. She had a sweet tooth for pineapple upside down cake and cookies and loved to laugh and tell funny jokes. Her children and grands enjoyed her witty, good sense of humor. Eudora loved to sew and getting dressed up for church and will always be remembered wearing her Sunday church hats.

Eudora’s memory will be cherished by her loving and dear husband of 48 years, Ollie Lee Blair Sr.; son, Tommie (Theresa) Gipson; stepsons, Kenneth, Dennis (Brenda) Blair; stepdaughter, Julie Blair; grandchildren, Audrea (Kim), Andrea, Christopher, Keisha, Tiffany, Tramaine, Stephen, Andre, Tocarra, Shontoya, Diamond, Dontrell; great-grandchildren and even great-great-grandchildren; nieces, Nona (Benjamin) Brown, Sheila Fuller, Kimberly Carroll; nephew, Brian Patton; many other relatives and friends, including special friend, Hortense D. Rowe, who still resides in Sherman, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, T.J. and Christell Riley; daughter, Jacquelin Lockhart; granddaughter, Carla Lockhart-Ponder; brother, Sylvester Carroll; stepdaughters, Gloria Jean and JoAnn Blair; stepsons, Joey and Ollie Lee Blair Jr.; very dear cousin, Irene Sanders; Mamie West, Jessie Cameron, and Mildred Welch, all of which have passed on before her, were also very special people in her life.

The family would like to say thank you to the Heartland Hospice Care staff for their care, kindness and compassion during this time.