Sondra Blake (Lowrey) Blake

SONDRA JEAN BLAKE

On May 20, 2016 Sondra Jean (Lowery-Mason) Blake was called home to heaven by her Lord and Savior at the age of 78. Sondra was born on July 8, 1937, the second child of Le Roy and Goldie (Thompson) Lowery in Gilman, Iowa. She attended elementary through high school in Gilman and was always interested in music, participating in a variety of musical activities both instrumental and vocal, graduating in 1955. Shortly after graduation, Sondra moved to Des Moines, Iowa doing office work prior to her marriage, then moved to Los Angeles, California to work for Hoffman Electronics. Sondra married Lyle K. Mason, had 2 children and the marriage ended after sixteen years. She remarried in 1975 to present husband, Francis B. Blake. In addition to being a Domestic Engineer for many years, Sondra ran a day care program in her home and worked part-time at Rogers Meat Market in Artesia, California. For several years, she worked for the Artesia Adult School District as the Instructrional Assistant and Court Coordinator for the Drug Alcohol Narcotic Awareness (DANA) program for PC1000 DUI violators. The program was moved to private industry and she was an owner, the Office Manager and member of the Board of Directors of D.A.N.A. Consultants, Inc. in Fullerton, California. Under her management, the firm was a recipient of the annual "Disneyland Community Awareness Award" in 1979. She retired when the business closed and she and Frank moved to Riverside, California. Upon her husband's retirement in 1991 and the move to Oregon in 1992, Sondra was active in singing in the church choir, enjoyed baking and cooking gourmet foods, loved working in her garden and flower beds, taking care of her grandson, and spending time with her pets. She continued to enjoy listening to music, especially jazz, and on occasion would play the alto saxophone. She also enjoyed bowling until Fibromyalgia caused her to give up that activity. Sondra is preceded in death by her parents and her brother Ronald Lowery. Survivors include her husband Frank; sister Christina Daly of California; daughter Keli Mohr of Oregon; son Mark Mason of Washington; grandchildren Zakry Otjen of Oregon, Kara Shuck of Tennessee, Shaylla Wright and Shane Mason of California plus her extended family of step-children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. A Memorial Celebration will held at St. Johns Lutheran Church, Sutherlin, Oregon on June 18, 2016 at 2:00 PM. Reverend Gary Krumdieck, officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to St. Johns Lutheran Church for the "Worship for Shut-Ins" program.