Kenneth Blair

Sept 18, 1933 - Dec 27, 2022

Kenneth Gordon Heward Blair, 89, passed away on December 27, 2022 at the Covington Senior Living center in Lehi, Utah. He was faithful to the end and has been reunited with his Savior and his loving family. Ken was born on September 18, 1933 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was the youngest child of Albert Blair and Ruth C. Heward Blair. He had 19 full or half siblings. Of the 20 children (10 boys and 10 girls) Ken was the only one born in a hospital.

With Ken's passing, a pioneer generation has been lost as he was the last living son of a Utah pioneer. His father came to the Salt Lake valley in 1868 at the age of two years. Albert was 67 when Ken was born. Ken was proud of his pioneer heritage and was featured in the Days of 47 parade in Salt Lake for eight years.

Ken grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and Shelley, Idaho. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England and later served in the U.S. Army stationed in Korea. He briefly attended Brigham Young University and later graduated from the University of Utah. He had a love of history and taught Utah, U.S. and world history to junior high students in Granite School District for 30 years.

Ken met the love of his life, Janette Coats, and they were married on June 22, 1960 in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they raised four sons and one daughter. Their children became the focus of their attention for the next several years and the family enjoyed many happy summers working and playing together.

After Ken retired from teaching and the children were raised, he kept busy volunteering. He served in the Jordan River Utah Temple, as a tour guide at the Utah State Capitol and as a docent in the Church History Museum. He discovered competitive race walking and competed in the Utah Senior Games for 20 years. He was an avid bowler, competing in several different leagues.

Ken had a lifelong love of music and shared this love and talent freely. He loved to sing and could remember songs from his childhood late in his life. He learned to play guitar with little formal instruction and taught himself to play banjo, mandolin, and other stringed instruments. He often played his guitar and sang for family and friends. These were sweet times that the family will greatly miss.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents and 19 siblings as well as two grandchildren. He is survived by his wife Janette, and their children Gordon (Gina), Russell (Diane), Michael (Kae Lynn), Darrell (Denise) and Janna Blair along with 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 6, 2023 at the Roxborough Park Ward Chapel, 3120 W 4700 S, West Valley, Utah. Friends may call at the McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 S Redwood Road, Taylorsville, Utah; Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 6-8:00 p.m. and at the chapel from 10:00-10:45 a.m. prior to the funeral. Interment will be in the Taylorsville City Cemetery.

For those unable to attend the funeral in person, the following link may be used to watch a livestream of the services: https://youtu.be/nUuTkdkWkJU