Mrs. Blake was born in Waynesville, NC in 1930 to Ruth and Harry Rotha, Jr. She grew up in Hendersonville, NC and graduated from Hendersonville High School. While attending Woman’s College (UNC-Greensboro), she met and married her lifelong love James Ogburn Blake. Mrs. Blake majored in interior decorating, and she owned a fabric shop in the 1950s. She taught design interior courses in Greenville, SC. Mrs. Blake became a licensed realtor in 1969, and owned Jean Blake Realtors in Greensboro, NC. She was an active member of Methodist and Presbyterian churches. She and Ogburn enjoyed getaways at their beloved mountain house in Sylva, NC, and travelled the world. Her talents included pottery, painting, sewing, and quilting.
Mrs. Blake moved to Atlanta to be near her daughter after her husband passed away. She made new friends at Hammond Glen Retirement Community, where she met and married Tom Cobb.
Jean Blake is survived by her son James Bryan Blake, Sr and wife Barbara of Gloucester, NC, daughter Laura Blake Jett and husband Edward of Marietta, GA, grandchildren Jessica Owsley, James Blake, Jr., Aren Blake, and Ian Flack, four great-grandchildren, and her cousin Virginia “Ginger” Szenas.
Mrs. Blake was preceded in death by James Ogburn Blake and Tom Cobb.
A memorial service will be held on January 18, 2020 at 3:00 pm at Hammond Glen Retirement Community, 335 Hammond Drive in Sandy Springs, GA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Paws Atlanta (www.pawsatlanta.org), 5287 Covington Highway, Decatur, GA 30035.
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