Eugene Charles "Gene" Blake, Jr. aka Papa, aka Dubbie, 81, of Topeka, KS, passed away Friday, March 8, 2019 with the support and love of family and friends.

Gene was born January 7, 1938. His mother, Thelma (Murphy) Blake, died when he was a toddler and he was raised by his father, Eugene "Bud" Blake, Sr. and his step-mother, Hortense (Chamberlin) Blake.

He spent most of his childhood in Burlington and graduated from Burlington High School. Following school he worked for Boeing Aircraft in Wichita for a time before attending cosmetology school in Wichita. He then moved to Topeka and opened his first hair salon, Gene Blake Coiffure. He would go on to own a number of different salons before opening Gene Blake School of Hair Styling which he operated in four locations. In 1997 he retired from his last salon, Las Vegas Hair Design in Topeka.

On April 5, 1970, he and Tammy Lamm were married in Topeka and celebrated their first night in Miami, Oklahoma.

Gene lived an active, fun and vivacious life. When his sons were in Boy Scouts he served as their Leader. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing and hunting, and he was an avid KU Basketball fan. He loved taking his family on vacations and spending time with them. He was also a collector of various unknown items, and a professional piddler and tinkerer. He spent a lot of time in Burlington, staying in the house, "Ocean 1", on the Neosho River, and loved to fish the river with his friends and family then have the biggest, most fun, fish fries ever!!

He suffered the loss of his two sons, Jon "Marty" Blake in 1986 and Darrin M. Blake in 2007. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Patsy Marie Blake, in 1995.

He leaves Tammy, his wife of nearly 49 years; his daughter, Kim Blake-Clark and husband Bill of Auburn, KS; a daughter-in-law, Juli Blake of Topeka; six grandchildren, Madison, Talia, Maya, Hannah, Tyler and Taryn; a great-grandson Brycen; other relatives and many friends. He also leaves his beloved, spoiled and fat dog, "Big Johnson"

The family will meet with friends from 5:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at the Fellowship Hall of the Dover Federated Church, 13535 SW 57 ^th St., Topeka, KS.

The family will meet with friends from 1:00 P.M. Wednesday at Jones Funeral Home.   Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at Jones Funeral Home in Burlington. Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery in Burlington.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Gene Blake Memorial Scholarship Fund, for a scholarship for a Mission Valley High School student pursuing an education in cosmetology, or The American Cancer Society. Memorials may be sent in care of Jones Funeral Home, PO Box 277, Burlington, KS 66839.