Lyle Irven Blake, age 67

June 2, 1953 – February 12, 2021

Lyle Irven Blake age 67, of Yale, Illinois, passed away at 3:21 PM – Friday, February 12, 2021, at his home surrounded by his family.

Funeral services celebrating Lyle's life will be held at 11:00 AM – Wednesday, February 17, 2021, at the Meyer Funeral Home in Newton, Illinois, with Rick Britton and Virgil Cisney officiating.  Burial will be in the Hunt Cemetery south west of Yale, Illinois.  Visitation will be held from 9:30 to 11:00 AM – Wednesday, at the funeral home.  In loving memory of Lyle, memorials may be made to the Effingham Right to Life or Oblong Children's Home and mailed to the family at 16975 North 1625 ^th Street, Yale, Illinois 62481 .  The obituary can be viewed and condolences left at www.meyerfh.com .

Lyle was born on June 2, 1953, in Mattoon, Illinois, the son of Lester Lewis Blake and Mildred Ilene (Chapman) Blake.  He married the love of his life, his high school sweetheart Linda Kay Cook on June 11, 1972, at the Cummins Church near Yale, Illinois.

Lyle graduated from Newton Community High School in 1971.  He retired from the Jasper Unit #1 School Systems after 33 years of service as a custodian.

Lyle was a member of the Cummins Church, where he served as a trustee and a Sunday school teacher.

Lyle loved to train and ride horses and one summer he trained 9.  He was most fond of Missouri fox trotters and Tennessee walking horses.

Lyle was Mr. Fix it, and could fix anything.  He enjoyed gardening with grandchildren, gun collecting, shooting, hunting, antique tractors especially Allis Chalmers and classic cars and was a member of the "Rat Pack" car club.

Lyle is survived by:

Wife of 48 Years - Linda Blake of Yale, Illinois

Children - Alisha (Dion) Wise of Yale, Illinois; Kevin (Amber) Blake of Rose Hill, Illinois; and Brandon (Caitlin) Blake of Effingham, Illinois

Grandchildren – Savannah Blake (Fiancé Justin Reavley), Kaleb Blake, Gracie Blake, Elijah Blake, Owen Blake, Kale Blake, Kyler Blake and Alexander Blake

Siblings – Cynthia Sue Dodd of Marshall, Illinois; Alden (Debbie) Blake of Yale, Illinois; Retha Cross of Martinsville, Illinois; Karl (Jenna) Blake of Yale, Illinois; and Anita (Paul) Soltwedel of Effingham, Illinois

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Bill Cross.