Douglas L. Blondell

Douglas Lee Blondell, 91, of Lake City, died Monday, Oct. 11, 2010 at his daughter's home in Houston, Minnesota. He was born May 5, 1919 in Red Wing, to Rollo and Rebecca (Johnson) Blondell, the third of four sons. He attended Red Wing schools and graduated from Red Wing Central High School in 1938. He received his bachelor's degree from Winona State in 1947 and his master's degree from Southern Illinois University in 1959. Between his college years, he served in the US Army during World War II, during which he took part in three invasions of enemy-held islands. Mr. Blondell was a school teacher by profession, teaching industrial arts and history. His first teaching job brought him to Las Vegas and then to Illinois and back to his home state of Minnesota, where he resided in Lake City. In 1981 he retired from teaching and was able to pursue his passions of writing, reading--especially civil war books, and boats. Mr. Blondell was a great lover of boats and spent most of his free time either building boats or sailing them and he taught sailing on Lake Pepin during 1970's. He was founding member of the Lake City Yacht Club and had been given the distinction of historian for the club. He also served on the Lake City Waterfront Board in the 1970's.
He is survived by his son, John (Victoria) Blondell of Santa Barbara, Calif.; daughter, Ellen (Brad) Hongerholt of Houston, Minn.; 8 grandchildren, Nicholas, William and Simon Blondell, Brianna Wunderlich & friend Joe Pyka, Dane & Jillian Wunderlich, Alex Nsengimana and Alphonse Bizimana; 2 sister-in-laws, Doris and Mary Lynn Blondell; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Douglas was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Elvira, in 1954; his second wife and mother of his two children, Dorothy, in 1974; his third wife, Oneta, in 1991; and his three brothers, Samuel, John and Richard Blondell.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 22, 2010 at United Methodist Church with Reverend Kristine Marshall officiating. Burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010 at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Anderson-Peterson Chapel and for one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials preferred to the church.