It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Todd Francis Blakely, age 32, who passed away suddenly on July 31, 2002. Todd was born in Atikokan on Friday, Feb. 14, 1970.
Todd graduated from Confederation College Motive Power Techniques–Heavy Equipment program and was awarded the President’s Medal for achieving the highest grade point average in his program.
Todd was an ambitious young man and was most recently employed by Jean Hachey Logging and Rex Stevenson Trucking.
Todd was a hard worker, loved family functions, fishing, skiing, snowmobiling and leathercraft. He had dreams of becoming a businessman and was planning to pursue his dream as he was enrolled in the Entrepreneurship program at Confederation College.
Todd will be greatly missed by his parents, Sandra and Roy Brouwer of Atikokan; father, Tom Blakely, of Thunder Bay; brother, Jason Blakely (Jessica Carson) of Thunder Bay; sister, Shannon Brouwer (Darren Girard) of Atikokan.
He will also be sadly missed by his grandmother, Ila Gibson; aunts, Carol Ribotto, Cindy Gibson-Smith (Mark) and Sheila Doran (Doug); as well as cousins, Toni Ealy (Eric), Sheri Weiland (Adam) Michael Zerebeski (Cassandra), Shelby, Sabrina and Liam Smith.
Also surviving are great-aunts, uncles and cousins.
Todd was predeceased by his great-grandmother, Mamie Cain; grandfathers, Norman Gibson and Michael Blakely; and grandmother, Lucille Blakely.
Family gathered for a private visitation on Monday, Aug. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Green Funeral Chapel.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002 at the First Baptist Church with Rev. David Baxter officiating. Interment followed at Little Falls Cemetery. Pallbearers were Michael Zerebeski, Eric Ealy, Mark Smith, Adam Weiland, Doug Doran and Darren Girard. If friends so desire a donation may be made in Todd’s name to the Atikokan General Hospital Extended Care Wing.
It is a deep mystery
This matter of life and death…
That the same person
Who brought us a thousand joys
Can one day leave us shedding a thousand tears…
And we grope blindly for words left unspoken,
And for the hug we needed to give to say goodbye.
And we wonder how this thread that holds us all to life
Can be so thin and fragile…
Until one day, we find the courage to accept
That the living aren’t meant to understand death,
Only to celebrate life,
And to remember that the only real death…is forgetting.
(author unknown)
Todd’s family will always celebrate his life and be grateful for the years we had with him. He will not be forgotten.