Myrtle "Tiny" Pearl (Pinegar) Blake
September 23, 1916 ~ August 29, 2017
Myrtle Pearl “Tiny” Blake, age 100, the daughter of Alfred Riley and Myrtle Theta (Pearce) Pinegar, was born September 23, 1916, at What Cheer, Iowa. She left this life on August 29, 2017, at Lamoni Specialty Care in Lamoni, Iowa.
Tiny’s father was a coal miner, so the family moved around Iowa when she was preschool age. She received her first years of education from her mother at home. Her formal schooling began at age 7, in the third grade. She graduated from East High School in Des Moines, Iowa at age 16, in 1933.
Tiny was the middle child in a family of nine children, five girls and four boys. When her brothers enlisted in the Army she wanted to support her country so she enlisted in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, known as the Skirted Soldiers, at Fort Des Moines, Iowa in 1942. She said, “Those boys can’t win the war without me.” Eight months later she was inducted into the United States Army, where she was stationed at Camp Crowder, Missouri. She spent three years working as a dental corps truck driver, making dental impressions, and doing various other dental work. Tiny was honored at a Veteran Pinning Ceremony in May of 2017, for her dedicated service.
Tiny married James Earl Blake on October 12, 1945. He was a farmer and they enjoyed life on the farm. As well as being a farmer’s wife, she did accounting and income tax work for businesses in the Lamoni area. Tiny also worked as an office manager for E.W. Kneip Packing Plant in Lamoni. After retirement Tiny and Earl enjoyed traveling. She was active in the Lamoni United Methodist Church, enjoyed walking, cooking, entertaining family at holiday gatherings, and playing cribbage.
In 1963, Tiny and Earl lovingly opened their home to her 13-year old niece and 15-year old nephew, Maxine and Alfred Pinegar, after the death of their father. They remained a big part of Tiny’s life.
Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, Earl in 2006; siblings, Ralph Pinegar, Noretta Fink, Dora Carroll, Alfred Pinegar, Anna Frey, Gerald Pinegar, and Richard Pinegar; nephew, Alfred Lyle Pinegar; and great nephew, Alfred Arthur Pinegar.
Survivors include her sister, Wanda Olson of Ankeny, Iowa; niece, Maxine Shields and husband, Roger, of Lamoni, Iowa; great nieces and nephews, Scott Shields and Desirea Silver, Sage Shields and Miranda Dvorak, Lily Shields, Blake Shields and Dalton Rumley, Stacey and Greg Karlis, Abigail, Annabelle, Allison, and Adelaide Karlis, Rick Pinegar and Carolyn Hulett, Cameron Pinegar, Alta and Nate Head, Gunner and Hunter Head, Elizabeth Boswell, McKayla Pinegar, Jocelyn Pinegar, and Bailey Boswell; and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held at the Lamoni United Methodist Church in Lamoni, Iowa at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 2, 2017, with Pastor Neal Montz officiating. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa. Visitation will be 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday morning at the church.
Arrangements were through the Slade – O’Donnell Funeral Home of Leon and Lamoni, Iowa.
Memorials may be given to HCI, Mt. Ayr, Iowa or the Lamoni United Methodist Church.
Source: Leon Journal-Reporter,
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
Thursday, September 07, 2017 (photo included with her obituary)
Transcriber Note: She was honored at the Veteran Pinning Ceremony last May. Her husband also served stateside with the US Army from 1942-45.
