Memorials › Marion John Blaha
Marion John Blaha
18 May 1914 – 19 May 2010
| Birth | 18 May 1914 |
| Death | 19 May 2010 |
| Cemetery | Fairview Cemetery Scottsbluff , Scotts Bluff County , Nebraska , USA |
| Added by | Cemetery Walker on 07 Sep 2017 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52733033 |
Bio
Son of Louis J. and Magdalen (Grabowski) Blaha. He was born on a farm near Burwell, Nebraska. When he was about 2 years old his family moved to Antioch, Nebraska. During WWI, Antioch was a booming town of several thousand people engaged in supplying potash for the war effort. After the Armistice was declared, the family moved to Sidney, Nebraska where his father purchased property and built an automobile repair garage and a home. The family belonged to St Patrick's Church which also had a school. He graduated from St. Patrick's School in l932. During his school years he also learned the automobile business from his father. After graduation from high school, Marion earned a business degree from Parks School of Business in Denver, Colorado. He returned to Sidney and went to work as a mechanic for his father in his Chrysler Dealership. On June 9, 1939, he married Doris Greenwood and they moved to North Platte where he worked for the Chrysler dealership and the Chevrolet dealership. His son, Richard, was born in North Platte in 1940. In early 1941 he moved his family to Columbus, Nebraska. WWII began in that year and Life was never the same. Marion tried to enlist in the Navy but was deferred because of his work in the essential automotive industry. He was notified to report to the draft board in l943. It meant going back to Sidney, where he was registered. Marion gathered his family together, quit his job, and headed for Denver, Colorado. He was intending to have his wife and son stay with his father and mother while he was in the service. On his way to Denver, he reported to the draft board in Sidney. The draft board informed him that he was still deferred and should now report to the draft board in Denver. He went to Denver, settled his family and from then on reported to the draft board every Monday morning. Each time he was told to go back to work. In August, 1945, the family moved to Scottsbluff. His second son, Martin, was born in 1946, a new home was purchased and in 1950 a third son, John, was born. Life was good. He worked for Nielsen Schreiner Chevrolet as Service Manager until 1952 when he and partner, Bill Whitehead, opened a GMC and Jeep dealership on East Overland. He later purchased his partner's share and, with his sons Dick, Marty and John, he continued the operation of the dealership. John was tragically killed in a sanctioned racing event in 1976. Marion retired after selling the dealership to Dick and Marty in l981. He was a member of St. Agnes Church. He was active as a Boy Scout leader and went on many camping trips with his son, John. He served on the National Board for General Motors Truck Dealers. He was a 4th Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He was a lifetime member of the Elk's Lodge. He was a member of the Scottsbluff Country Club and was an avid golfer. He belonged to the National Senior Golf Association and played in many tournaments. He even won a few! His wife, Doris, died on February 11, 1997, while they were on vacation in Arizona. They were married for 58 years. He married Ruth Frank, November 18, 2000. They resided at the Residency in Scottsbluff. They enjoyed nearly 10 years of a very happy marriage. Marion felt very much a part of Ruth's family and Ruth became a loved member of his family. Survivors include his wife, Ruth Frank Blaha; son Dick (Sherry) Blaha of Gering; son Martin (Darlene) Blaha of Evans, CO; daughter-in-law. Mary (Rod) Fleeman of El Dorado Hills, CA; stepson Dr. Thomas (Ruth) Frank of Omaha, NE; stepdaughter Patricia (Thomas) Crane of Aurora, CO; seven grandchildren – Jeff (Janie) Blaha of Mitchell, NE; Connie (Doug) Rupp of Gering, NE; Kim (Alan) Gilliam of Jackson, MS; Debbie (Mark) Jones of Jacksonville, NC; Mike Blaha and Ryan Blaha of Rio Rancho, NM; and Tina (Allen) Hawbaker of Buena Park, CA; fourteen great grandchildren, five step grandchildren, six step great grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Doris; son, John; brother, Dean Blaha and his wife, Marilyn; and sister Evelyn (Blaha) Bowman and her husband, George.
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