Geoff Blake

1921 - 2006

Geoff and Brenda Blake started attending our church about 1981, after moving into 'Conway' in Church Road, when Geoff retired. They hadn't intended to come to us because of the proximity of their home to the church and the fear of being `nabbed' as caretakers, but the Lord had a way of sorting these things out. They got the service times wrong of the church in Wickford that they thought of joining, and so decided to try us out. After that there was no escape, but they were never the caretakers! They were admitted to membership in 1982, and, after moving on, retained it for several years by special arrangement.

Brenda passed away in 2003 after suffering many years from depression and now Geoff has died, aged 84. He was a Londoner who came to know the Lord at Stratford Railway Mission. Geoff worked all his life for a company called AM International starting as an office boy in London. After marrying, he and the family moved to the Midlands, living in Solihull and attending Hobbs Moat URC. After five years the family moved to Watford, where they joined Levesden Road Baptist Church until Geoff retired. By that time he was at AM International's head office, having worked in sales and marketing.

While they were members with us, Geoff and Brenda took a full part in church affairs, Geoff serving as treasurer for a time from 1985. Then in 1987, as their sons moved to the Midlands, Geoff and Brenda moved to be near them and settled at Lichfield, where they attended their local Methodist Church. Geoff was a very kindly man, who never failed to give his wife all the support he could when she was in or out of the periods of depression. He loved watching cricket (Essex CCC) and football (Spurs) on television and also collected stamps. Now he has passed on to be with his Lord and to be re-united with his beloved Brenda.

Derek Greasley

This article first appeared in the Summer 2006 Edition of Ramsden Bellhouse Baptist Church Review