Mary "Jean" (Donovan) Blair

Mary Jean Donovan “Jean” Blair, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on February 9, 2022, just two months short of her 99th birthday. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother who will be missed by all her family. Jean was born one of seven children to parents George Dewey Donovan and Anna Leila Webb Donovan in Carrollton, Missouri on April 26, 1923. After graduation from Carrollton High School, Jean moved to Chicago with her older sister, Margaret, where she worked until World War II broke out. During the war, she proudly served as a member of the WAVES in the U. S. Navy in Chicago and Honolulu. After the war ended, she attended the University of Illinois, where she met her future husband, William W. Blair. After a year-long courtship, the couple was married in Chicago on December 28, 1946, and thereafter lived in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, where he was completing his law degree at the University of Illinois. With the birth of the first of their seven children, on December 31, 1947, our Mom devoted herself to her husband and children. Throughout their 30 years of marriage, until our Dad’s death in 1977, his career in the oil business took the family to Evansville, Indiana; Olney, Illinois; and Wichita, Kansas; followed by Ardmore, Oklahoma; Norman, Oklahoma; and finally, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Our Mom loved traveling and was always ready for a new adventure. One of her favorite destinations was La Jolla, California, where she had a vacation home for many years. During the latter part of her life, she lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Coleman Bender. We are all grateful for the care Patricia and Coleman gave her.

She is survived by her son, Robert Blair, and three daughters, Mary Alice Blair, Margaret Blair and Patricia Bender. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, William W. Blair, Sr., daughter Elizabeth Blair Elder, sons William W. Blair, Jr. and John David Blair, and great granddaughter Anne Bradley Elder, as well as her parents and six siblings.

A Memorial Service will be held for her at Christ the King Church, where she was a longtime member on Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. Rest in peace, Mom, we love you.