John R. “Jack” Blair
1933 – 2012
John R. “Jack” Blair, 78 of Elgin, NE passed away Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Funeral services were 10 a.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church in Elgin, with Rev. Michael Davis officiating. Burial will follow in the Laurel Hill Cemetery at Neligh with military rites being conducted by the American Legion Post #229 and VFW Post #5816 of Elgin. Visitation was held Thursday at Huffman-Levander Funeral Home in Elgin.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.huffmanlevander.com.
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John Rex Blair, son of Arthur and Della Rose (True) Blair, was born August 25, 1933 near Brunswick, NE. He lived on a farm near Brunswick and then moved to a farm five miles south of Royal. He attended two different country schools through the eighth grade and graduated from Royal High School in 1950.
Following high school, he assisted his father with farming for a year, then worked for Dobson Construction as a timekeeper. He also did some auctioneering. From 1952-1954, he was in the Army, stationed at Fort Riley, KS.
On May 1, 1955, Jack was united in marriage with Mardelle J. Wilson at the Methodist Church in Neligh, NE. They lived in Neligh for six months in the Clint Stonebraker apartment, then moved to Elgin, where they lived three different places before building a basement house in 1964. They lived there for two years before finishing the house.
In November 1954, Jack started working for Contois Motor as a salesman in Neligh for six months. He was then transferred to Contois in Elgin. In 1965, he became manager and bought into the corporation at Neligh and Elgin. In March of 1982, he sold his share in the Contois Corp. in Neligh, and bought the Elgin dealership, which was then named Blair Motors, Inc. Jack continued to own and operate Blair Motors, Inc. until retiring in the fall of 2008.
Jack was a member of the Elgin United Methodist Church and American Legion Post #229 of Elgin, NE.
He enjoyed the car business, traveling to Texas during the winter, attending Nebraska Cornhusker football games, fishing, gardening and spending time with his family.
Jack is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mardelle of Elgin, NE; two sons: Dennis and wife Priscilla of Elgin, NE; Kurt and wife Linda of Elgin, NE; four grandchildren: Stephanie (Scott) Stuhr and daughter Samantha of Elgin, NE; Kristen (Jay) Evans of Neligh, NE; Mindy Blair of Hastings, NE; Anthony Blair of Bird City, KS; three brothers: Theodore Blair of New Hampshire; James (Lois) Blair of South Dakota; David (Joan) Blair of Iowa; two sisters: Velma Hupp of Butte, NE; Beryl Gill of Oregon; one sister-in-law: Myrtle Blair of Winneton, NE; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Della Rose; a grandson Adam Blair; one brother: Billy Blair; two sisters: Mildred Montgomery and Marjorie Blair; three brothers-in-law: James Hupp, Allen Montgomery, Delbert Gill; and one sister-in-law: Helen Blair.
