Mary Josephine McClain Blake

She was a brilliant and gifted Renaissance woman. She lived in Italy during her formative years and inhaled a love for learning, art, and living with style and grace. No one would be surprised that she was voted “most humorous” in high school- a title she lived up to her entire life.

Wife, mother, designer, entertainer, & teacher, she was passionate about her children and giving them the best that her experience, education, and family traditions could offer. As a teacher she taught fourth grade at a poor Catholic school in Alabama. Then as an instructor she trained candidates for Head Start positions & led the entire Southeastern United States with her candidate production. She was a highly sought-after volunteer as a room mother for her children’s classes, helping lead Girl Scout troops, and serving in the PTA. As a designer she created a dream home for her family in San Antonio. Mary had a special knack for event planning and all kinds of celebrations!

As a mother she taught her children values and family history. She saw each of her children earn advanced degrees and, more importantly, happy marriages. Mary’s treasured moments were spent with her four grandchildren.

Mary was an alumna of Spring Hill College and the University of South Alabama. She earned an MS degree and performed computer programming for psychological testing.

Mary made friends easily her whole life and will be remembered by classmates, friends, and neighbors from Vicenza, Italy; Worcester, Massachusetts; Mobile, Alabama; Atlanta & Macon, Georgia; Northern Virginia; San Antonio & Leander, Texas; and all around the country and the globe.

She is survived by her husband Colby; her daughters, Mary Bronwyn Elizabeth Blake (husband Craig Watts); & Carolyn Olivia Lundy Blake (husband Nicolae Stefanuta); her son, McClain Sean Christian Blake (wife Ximena Estrada Blake); her brother, Dr. John Bruce McClain; and by her four grandchildren who all call her “Josie.”

The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 North Loop 1604 East.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.