Graveside services for Cyrus “Ed” Blair, 93, and Jean (Davis) Blair, 88, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday August 26, 2017 at the Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse.  Mr. Blair passed away on October 7, 2016 and Mrs. Blair passed away on February 16, 2012, both in Surprise, Arizona.  Mr. Blair, a WWII veteran, will be honored by the United States Army Honor Guard and the Potlatch VFW Post #10300 at the service. Kramer Funeral Home of Palouse is caring for the family.  

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Cyrus "Ed" Edward Blair, 93, formerly of Palouse, passed away peacefully Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, at his home in Surprise, Ariz. Ed was born Nov. 19, 1922, in Palouse, Wash., to C.A. Blair and Ruth Belle (Wiley) Blair. He was raised in Palouse and graduated from Palouse High School in 1940.

After high school Ed went into the U.S. Army. Ed was a radio operator, and operated and maintained ground communications. He was primarily based in Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Lybia. He was discharged in January of 1946. Ed was the last living WWII veteran from Palouse.

While in high school he fell in love with his future wife, Jean Elizabeth Davis Blair. Following Ed's stint in the service, the couple was married Nov. 19, 1945. After marriage, they settled in Palouse and raised five children, Doug, Mike, Steve, Glenna and Dixie.

After the service Ed began working at the family farm, he also traveled and worked for R.A. Hanson from Palouse. Ed also worked at the Grange Supply in Palouse. In January 1962, he went to work for Palouse Grain Growers and stayed there until his retirement in 1985. Ed was also a volunteer of the Palouse Fire Department, a member of the American Legion and Grange 177.

In retirement Ed and Jean traveled in their motorhome which included a trip up the Alaska-Canadian Highway. They made their winter home and eventually permanent home in Surprise at the Sunflower Resort where they both stayed busy with friends and activities. Ed was very crafty with his hands, he made beautiful jewelry out of rocks, then later made many masterpieces out of stained glass, later moving onto woodworking where he liked to make furniture. You can see many pieces of Ed's handy work throughout all of his children's/grandchildren's homes.

After Jean's passing in 2012 Ed moved from the Resort to Marley Park Home Care, where he lived at the time of his passing.

Survived by Ed are five children, Doug Blair and wife, Karen, of Sun City, Ariz., Mike Blair and wife, Linda, of Garfield, Wash., Steve Blair and wife, Valerie, of Peoria, Ariz., Glenna Blair Boller and husband, Jim, of Albion, Wash., and Dixie Blair Smith and husband, Steve, of Maple Valley, Wash.; 15 grandchildren; and 32 great-grandchildren with one on the way. Ed was proceeded in death by his wife, Jean; his parents; his brother James Blair and sisters Emma Day and Marie Landgren.

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Jean Elizabeth Davis Blair, 88, formerly of Palouse, passed away peacefully Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at her home in Surprise, Ariz. Jean was born Nov. 8, 1923, in Palouse, to Nathan and Lu Williams Davis. She was raised in Palouse and graduated from Palouse High School in 1941.

While in high school, she fell in love with her future husband, Cyrus Edward Blair. After high school, Ed went into the service and Jean went off to work in the Portland shipyards and later at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane.

Following Ed's stint in the service, the couple were married Nov. 19, 1945. After marriage, they settled in Palouse and raised five children, Doug, Mike, Steve, Glenna and Dixie. When the kids went off to school, Jean started work at Washington State University in housing and stayed there until her retirement 26 years later. Jean loved her job and WSU.

In retirement Ed and Jean traveled in their motor home, which included a trip up the ALCAN Highway. They made their winter home and eventually permanent home in Surprise at the Sunflower Resort, where they both stayed busy with friends and activities. Jean was very crafty; she loved to sew, knit, crochet and bead. Many friends and family were blessed with her articles of craft. She spent many hours teaching 4-H members, her children and grandchildren her crafts. After moving to Arizona, she found a new craft in computers. She was a member of the Sunflower Resort's Computer Club and she volunteered her time at the resort office. Jean enjoyed traveling and the history of the areas she traveled. One of her greatest travels was a three-week trip to China with her sister. Over the past few years, Jean found a new hobby in genealogy; she spent many hours finding new family members and even connected with a few. She was also a member of the American Women's Auxiliary for World War II.

Jean was well known for her loving toughness, and "matter of fact" type of attitude. She enjoyed reminiscing with friends and loved her family tremendously. Ed and Jean had a good long life together enjoying family and friends. The family would like to give a huge thanks to Jean/Mom/Grandma for all of your love and encouragement over the many years; you have been such an instrumental part in making us all who we are today.

Survived by Jean are her husband, Ed; siblings Donald Davis of Sun City West, Ariz., Darrel (Mouse) Davis of Portland, Ore., and Sister Glenna (Teance) Gillaspy of Surprise; children Doug Blair and wife Karen of Surprise, Mike Blair and wife Linda of Garfield, Steve Blair and wife Valerie of Peoria, Ariz., Glenna Blair Boller and husband Jim of Albion, and Dixie Blair Smith and husband Steve of Maple Valley, Wash.; 15 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren. Jean was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Gale (Blackie) Davis.

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