Boulder City deaths

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008 | midnight

Courtesy photo

Thomas and Paulette Blake

Courtesy photo

Karen Knisley

Courtesy photo

Hill Wesley 'Ace' Roberts

Thomas and Paulette Blake

Thomas Kerry Blake and Paulette Jeanine Radley Blake died Oct. 1 in Anchorage, Alaska, in a small aircraft crash when the plane lost power after takeoff.

Kerry Blake was born Aug. 28, 1953, in St. George, Utah, to Tom and Dora Blake. Paulette was born Aug. 15, 1944 in Phillips, S.D., to Louis and Meta Radley.

Kerry Blake was raised in Boulder City and graduated from Boulder City High School in 1971. Paulette moved to Henderson as a teenager and graduated from Basic High School in 1961.

The couple were married April 24, 1979, in Henderson, where they lived and raised four daughters. They worked together for the Clark County Animal Control Department, then worked in the construction field in the Las Vegas area.

In the early 1980s, they began spending the summers in Alaska mining gold near Nome. Later, they ran a private chartered fishing and hospitality service in Soldotna and for the past three years ran their own chartered fishing and bed and breakfast business in Homer.

Pahrump has been their winter home for the past six years.

Together they lived the life that most people dream of. They were respected and loved by everyone who met and knew them, according to family members.

They are survived by Paulette's four daughters, Tracy Taft and her husband, Dave, of Cascade, Mont., Sandy Little of Pahrump, Holly Couchigan and her husband, Charles, of Fort Worth, Texas, and Roni Knowlton and her husband, Damon, of Henderson; grandchildren Billy, Tory, Cory, Joshua, Kalyn, Taylor, Christopher, Molly, Sola and Oakley, and great-grandchildren.

Paulette is also survived by her mother, Meta Radley Dabney; siblings Marvin Radley and his wife, Jody, of Estill Springs, Tenn., Steve Radley and his wife, Charlene, of Henderson, Roberta "Bertie" Radley and her partner, Marian, of Henderson, and Robert Radley of Pahrump; six nephews and three nieces.

Kerry is also survived by his parents, Tom and Dora Blake of LaVerkin, Utah; siblings Keena Jorgenson and her husband, Jeff, of Hurricane, Utah, Jeff Blake and his wife, Dorcie, of Mesa, Ariz., Dani Bettridge and her husband, Keith, of Anchorage, Alaska, Layna Larsen and her husband, Ken, of Boulder City, Royal Blake and his wife, Susan, of Phoenix, Ore., Wade Blake and his wife, Amber, of North Las Vegas, Ben Blake and his wife, Marcia, of North Las Vegas and foster sister Korynn Moore of Hurricane, Utah, as well as 19 nephews and 18 nieces. He was preceded in death by son Thomas Christopher.

Their funeral will be held Oct. 10 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel, on 801 Arrowhead Trail, Henderson, with visitation beginning at 12 p.m. and services starting at 1 p.m.

Interment will be held at Palm Memorial Park, 800 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson, immediately following the service.

Palm Mortuary handled the arrangements.

Karen Knisley

A celebration of life will be held for Karen Knisley at 2 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Boulder Creek Golf Club pavilion.

Knisley, 68, of Boulder City, died Sept. 18, at her summer home in Lamoille after fighting a lengthy illness.

She was born March 16, 1940, in Pasadena, Calif., to Florence Richardson Knisley and Raymond Knisley. She attended school in Lake Tahoe, Lovelock and the University of Arizona.

She worked in management at Camp Richardson, Lake Tahoe and Boulder City. She was part of the Boulder City Planning Commission, chairman of the Boulder City Hospital Board and an active member of the Boulder City Sunrise Rotary Club and Beta Sigma Phi.

Knisley is survived by John Pretto of Boulder City; sister, Barbara Lespade of Lamoille; children Constance Johnson of Woodinville, Wash., Michael Gerling of Auburn, Calif., and Kimberly Hancpol of Carson City; and grandchildren Sean, Nicole and Norah Johnson.

The family requests that donations be made to the Sunrise Rotary Club, 293-2472, www.bcsr.org or the Boulder City Hospital, c/o Karen Knisley memorial, 293-4111, ext. 576, or mail to 901 Adams Blvd., Boulder City, 89005.

Hill Wesley 'Ace' Roberts

Hill Wesley "Ace" Roberts, 80, of Boulder City died Oct. 5 in Boulder City.

Ace was born in Texas on July 21, 1928. He lived and made his home in many states and the Bahamas. As a young man, he joined the U.S. Navy to see the world, but then spent all his service time in Florida.

After his military service he moved back to Texas and attended college. Leaving Texas he moved to California, where he worked as an aircraft engineer for Boeing. He met and married Billie Hollomon in Calif. The couple moved to Boulder City in 1992.

Ace enjoyed woodworking and created many gift items. He also enjoyed playing video poker "one quarter at a time," as he said.

He is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Billie Roberts; sons, Michael Roberts and his wife, Janet, of California, Daniel Roberts and his wife, Maureen, of California, John Roberts and his wife, Andrea, of California, and James Roberts of Nevada; daughter Sandra Drake and her husband, Alburt, of California; and eight grandchildren, Joshua, Amanda, Katheryn, Nicholas, Frances, Madeleine, Alburt Jr. and Shyanne.

Ace was preceded in death by a brother Edward Nelson Roberts.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Oct. 10 at Boulder City Family Mortuary Chapel, 833 Nevada Way, in Boulder City. Ace will be interred at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Boulder City Family Mortuary handled the arrangements.

Robert Mayfield

Robert Lee Mayfield, 73, of Boulder City, died Oct. 6.

The 34-year resident was born June 13, 1935, in Pennsylvania. He was a member of the U.S. Army, retiring as a sergeant first class after serving in the Vietnam and Korean wars. He was a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He is survived by his wife, Francis Mayfield of Boulder City; daughters Toni Bize of Sykesville, Md., and Bobbie King of Cardiff, Calif.; son, William A. Mayfield of Elizabethtown, Ky.; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Visitation will take place at 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. Oct. 9 at Palm Mortuary-Henderson, 800 S. Boulder Highway. A service will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 10 at Palm Mortuary-Henderson.

The family requests that donations be made to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, (816) 756-3390 or www.vfw.org.

Palm Mortuary handled the arrangements.