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Delpha Marie “Crain” Blair

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Delpha Marie “Crain” Blair

Birth
Aldrich, Polk County, Missouri, USA
Death
29 Mar 1980 (aged 88)
Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas, USA
Burial
Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas, USA Add to Map
Plot
Section D - Lot 76 E 1/2- Space 4
Memorial ID
View Source
Delpha was the daughter of Joseph Gravel & Mary Jane (Waggoner) Crain.

Her siblings were Arthur Nile, Florida E., & Abraham Nelson.

Delpha's first marriage, at age 17, was to Edward Harrison Bluejacket in Seneca, Newton Co, MO on November 03, 1907. Their children were:
Flora Jane (1908 – 1998)
Dorothy Elizabeth (1910 – 1996)
Charles E. (1911 – 1943)
Loreen L. (1916 – 2007)
Chester Owen (1917 - 2011)

Jan. 7, 1920, Edward, age 32, & Delpha, age 27, lived in Wyandotte, Ottawa Co, OK with their five children where they owned a farm.

Edward died on October 20, 1959, while singing at a funeral service. He was buried in Wyandotte Indian Cemetery in Miami, Ottawa Co, OK.

"BLUEJACKET RITES PENDING IN CITY
Edward H. (Tobe) Bluejacket, 71, of 112 West Central Avenue, a life long resident of Ottawa County, collapsed in 3:15 p.m. Tuesday while singing with the Bethel quartet of the First Christian Church at funeral services for John L. Campbell in the Cooper chapel.

He was dead upon arrival at Baptist hospital. Death was attributed to a heart attack.

Mr. Bluejacket, a retired farmer, was born Nov. 27, 1887, at Wyandotte. He was a member of the First Christian Church and the Shawnee Indian tribe.

Surviving are a son, Chester O. Blair of Miami; three daughters, Mrs. Flora B. Beaty who lives in Ottawa County near Seneca; Mrs. Dorothy E. Pourpart of Lac du Flambeau, Wis., and Mrs. Lorean Blaine of Claremore; a brother, Clyde Bluejacket of Quapaw; two sisters, Mrs. Blanche Hawk and Mrs. Amy Peacock of Miami; a half-sister, Mrs. Rose Hill of Vinita; 16 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Arrangements will be announced by Hutchins Funeral Home."
*****

Delpha's second marriage was to Earl Clayton Blair, age 32, in Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS on August 5, 1922.

They had five sons:
Earl C. (1923 – 1993)
Carl Clifford (1925 – 1972)
Robert (1927 - 1983)
Richard (1929 - 2010)
Arthur Franklin (1933 - 2006)

Their first child, Earl Clayton, Jr. was born in Wynnewood, Garvin Co, OK on July 21, 1923. Their other four sons were born in Emporia, Lyon Co, KS.

On April 11, 1930, Earl, age 40, & Delpha, age 38, lived in Emporia, Lyon Co, KS where he supported the family working as a cook in a restaurant. Their children were Earl C., age 6; Carl, 4 years & 11 months; Robert, 2 years & 5 months, & Richard, 7 months.

In December 1935 Earl was hired to work at the Hub Hotel, which opened the following month. More can be seen on Earl's memorial. They lived at 102 South Merchant Street.

On April 3, 1940, Earl was still working as a chef. Delpha's 22 year old son, Chester, by her first marriage was living with them & had a job as a carpenter. Their sons were Earl, age 16; Carl, 14; Robert, 12; Richard, 10; & Arthur, 6.

World War II was a difficult time for them. On Nov. 24, 1943, Delpha's son, Charles Bluejacket, was reported missing in action over Austria since Nov. 2. He had married shortly before joining the air force. Charles had been assigned to the air corps & given a course at the Army Air Force Aeronautical school at Lincoln, Neb., afterwards serving as a belly gunner on a B-24 (Liberator bomber). It was later determined that he had died on November 3, 1943.

Delpha & Earl's sons, Chester, Earl, & Carl served during WWII. An article published in The Emporia Gazette on Nov. 14, 1945, provides a little information about this time.

"T-5 Chester Blair, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Blair, 102 South Rural, has been discharged from the Army at Fort Leavenworth, after serving 3 1/2 years in Ireland, England and France as a cook. Before going into the service, he was a student in an airport management school in Topeka. His wife, an English school teacher, expects to join him in the country by January 1. He has two brothers in the service, Pfc. Carl Blair, in the Army, and Earl Blair, Jr., able-bodied seaman, of the Merchant Marine, both in the Pacific. Another brother, Charles Blair, turret gunner, was shot down over Austria two years ago."

News about Carl's job as a chef was published in the Emporia Gazette on Thursday, June 19, 1947.
"Fords to Run Mit-Way
The Mit-Way Hotel and cafe will open Monday under the new management of Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Ford. The cafe and dining room will be open from 5:30 o'clock in the morning until 9 o'clock at night except on Wednesdays. Earl Blair will be the chef and will be assisted by Mrs. Blanche Dykes and Clyde Shuck. The Ford's have operated the Baltimore cafe for the past two years and will continue to operate it in conjunction with the Mit-Way."

Over the years Delpha participated in various social functions, which included the Elder Citizens Club and Gold Star Mothers Club.

Earl died in Emporia on June 26, 1969. Delpha died in Emporia on March 28, 1980.
Delpha was the daughter of Joseph Gravel & Mary Jane (Waggoner) Crain.

Her siblings were Arthur Nile, Florida E., & Abraham Nelson.

Delpha's first marriage, at age 17, was to Edward Harrison Bluejacket in Seneca, Newton Co, MO on November 03, 1907. Their children were:
Flora Jane (1908 – 1998)
Dorothy Elizabeth (1910 – 1996)
Charles E. (1911 – 1943)
Loreen L. (1916 – 2007)
Chester Owen (1917 - 2011)

Jan. 7, 1920, Edward, age 32, & Delpha, age 27, lived in Wyandotte, Ottawa Co, OK with their five children where they owned a farm.

Edward died on October 20, 1959, while singing at a funeral service. He was buried in Wyandotte Indian Cemetery in Miami, Ottawa Co, OK.

"BLUEJACKET RITES PENDING IN CITY
Edward H. (Tobe) Bluejacket, 71, of 112 West Central Avenue, a life long resident of Ottawa County, collapsed in 3:15 p.m. Tuesday while singing with the Bethel quartet of the First Christian Church at funeral services for John L. Campbell in the Cooper chapel.

He was dead upon arrival at Baptist hospital. Death was attributed to a heart attack.

Mr. Bluejacket, a retired farmer, was born Nov. 27, 1887, at Wyandotte. He was a member of the First Christian Church and the Shawnee Indian tribe.

Surviving are a son, Chester O. Blair of Miami; three daughters, Mrs. Flora B. Beaty who lives in Ottawa County near Seneca; Mrs. Dorothy E. Pourpart of Lac du Flambeau, Wis., and Mrs. Lorean Blaine of Claremore; a brother, Clyde Bluejacket of Quapaw; two sisters, Mrs. Blanche Hawk and Mrs. Amy Peacock of Miami; a half-sister, Mrs. Rose Hill of Vinita; 16 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Arrangements will be announced by Hutchins Funeral Home."
*****

Delpha's second marriage was to Earl Clayton Blair, age 32, in Fort Scott, Bourbon Co, KS on August 5, 1922.

They had five sons:
Earl C. (1923 – 1993)
Carl Clifford (1925 – 1972)
Robert (1927 - 1983)
Richard (1929 - 2010)
Arthur Franklin (1933 - 2006)

Their first child, Earl Clayton, Jr. was born in Wynnewood, Garvin Co, OK on July 21, 1923. Their other four sons were born in Emporia, Lyon Co, KS.

On April 11, 1930, Earl, age 40, & Delpha, age 38, lived in Emporia, Lyon Co, KS where he supported the family working as a cook in a restaurant. Their children were Earl C., age 6; Carl, 4 years & 11 months; Robert, 2 years & 5 months, & Richard, 7 months.

In December 1935 Earl was hired to work at the Hub Hotel, which opened the following month. More can be seen on Earl's memorial. They lived at 102 South Merchant Street.

On April 3, 1940, Earl was still working as a chef. Delpha's 22 year old son, Chester, by her first marriage was living with them & had a job as a carpenter. Their sons were Earl, age 16; Carl, 14; Robert, 12; Richard, 10; & Arthur, 6.

World War II was a difficult time for them. On Nov. 24, 1943, Delpha's son, Charles Bluejacket, was reported missing in action over Austria since Nov. 2. He had married shortly before joining the air force. Charles had been assigned to the air corps & given a course at the Army Air Force Aeronautical school at Lincoln, Neb., afterwards serving as a belly gunner on a B-24 (Liberator bomber). It was later determined that he had died on November 3, 1943.

Delpha & Earl's sons, Chester, Earl, & Carl served during WWII. An article published in The Emporia Gazette on Nov. 14, 1945, provides a little information about this time.

"T-5 Chester Blair, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Blair, 102 South Rural, has been discharged from the Army at Fort Leavenworth, after serving 3 1/2 years in Ireland, England and France as a cook. Before going into the service, he was a student in an airport management school in Topeka. His wife, an English school teacher, expects to join him in the country by January 1. He has two brothers in the service, Pfc. Carl Blair, in the Army, and Earl Blair, Jr., able-bodied seaman, of the Merchant Marine, both in the Pacific. Another brother, Charles Blair, turret gunner, was shot down over Austria two years ago."

News about Carl's job as a chef was published in the Emporia Gazette on Thursday, June 19, 1947.
"Fords to Run Mit-Way
The Mit-Way Hotel and cafe will open Monday under the new management of Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Ford. The cafe and dining room will be open from 5:30 o'clock in the morning until 9 o'clock at night except on Wednesdays. Earl Blair will be the chef and will be assisted by Mrs. Blanche Dykes and Clyde Shuck. The Ford's have operated the Baltimore cafe for the past two years and will continue to operate it in conjunction with the Mit-Way."

Over the years Delpha participated in various social functions, which included the Elder Citizens Club and Gold Star Mothers Club.

Earl died in Emporia on June 26, 1969. Delpha died in Emporia on March 28, 1980.


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