Mary Blades' Obituary
MARY (MOLLY) TOBIAS BLADES, born to Julius and Hilda (nee Schaedle) Tobias on March 6, 1924 in Memphis, TN; died May 11, 2010 in Memphis. Predeceased by her husband, Lawrence T. Blades, and her three sisters, Aleen Hurt, Alise Whitney, and Hildalee Norton. Survived by her brother, Virgil Shelby, of Apalachicola, FL; son Larry (wife Maureen) of Seattle, WA; son Ronald (wife Pat) of Memphis; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Ms. Blades graduated from Messick High School, where she was very active in the athletic programs, winning several city and state awards in tennis and softball. Following a year at Siena College, she met her future husband on a blind date, and they were married in July of 1942. During World War II, while her husband served in the Army Air Corps, Ms. Blades went to work as an administrative assistant at Chicago and Southern Airlines, a professional relationship she thoroughly enjoyed and which she maintained until the mid-1950’s when Chicago and Southern merged with Delta Airlines and moved its operations center to Atlanta. She later held administrative positions at Keagan Technical Institute and at Christian Brothers College, where she worked in the president’s office. Her time outside of work was often spent in volunteer activities such as coaching little league at St. Anne School and working in leadership roles in organizations such as the PTA at her sons’s schools. Services will be held on Friday, May 14, at Memorial Park Funeral Home (visitation 12:00-1:00; graveside service 1:00). In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Arthritis Foundation
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