Hubert Bryant Blake

Mr. Hubert “Bryant” Blake died peacefully on Tuesday, December 10th, 2024. A long-time resident of Lawrenceville, Georgia, Mr. Blake was a native of Mobile, Alabama, attending Murphy High School and then Auburn University. He met his beautiful bride and lifelong companion, Jane, while water skiing on a blind date. They were married on June 4th, 1960, had two children, and were married for 64 years until his death.
Upon being hired by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mr. and Mrs. Blake moved to and lived briefly in Louisville, KY where their son Hugh was born, as well as in Charlotte, NC where they welcomed a second child, their daughter named Elizabeth. The family settled in Lawrenceville, GA where Bryant continued to work for, and proudly retired from, Liberty Mutual Insurance after 35 successful years.
Mr. Blake was predeceased by his parents, Glenn Blake and Dorothy Hess Blake; his grandparents, Hubert Henry Hess and Emily Bryant Hess; and his sister, Glenda Blake Bazzel.
Bryant is survived by his wife, Mary Jane Maddox Blake; his son, Hubert Bryant “Hugh” Blake, Jr. and his wife, Jennifer Beretich Blake, and their daughter, Grace Adelle Blake; Mr. Blake’s daughter, Elizabeth Blake Doyle and her husband, Lynn Curtis Doyle, II, and their daughters, Emily Maddox Doyle, and Mary Elise Doyle. He is also survived by his first cousin, Emily Kling Dunnam, and his nieces, Terra Bazzel Forwood and Kimberly Bazzel Ryland, along with many other beloved friends and relatives.
Mr. Blake was an avid hunter, planning his favorite trips to Nebraska with the same loyal buddies, affectionately known as the “The US Olympic Pheasant Hunting Team,” for many years. The parties at the end of the hunting week were legendary…the best food, the best drinks, and the best of friends.
And then there is that bird…War Eagle!!!!! “Mr. B,” as Mr. Blake was warmly known in various Auburn tailgating circles, was the most dedicated and ardent fan for which any team could ask. Whether it was the thrill of an Auburn victory, or the bitter sting of defeat, the Auburn Tigers were always near and dear to Bryant.
If “Uncle Bryant” wasn’t rooting for the Tigers or rounding up the pheasants, he could be found, along with the family, traveling to destinations both near and far. There was the infamous Grand Canyon trip the summer of 1981 that looked eerily like a National Lampoon movie, right alongside any number of sublime trips through some of the most beautiful places in the world with Jane.
Not only did Bryant and Jane travel together, but they also had a successful and beloved antique business for many years, working antique shows, making friends, and finding lovely things for people to take home and enjoy. Anyone who knew Bryant knew that his talent restoring furniture was nothing short of art.
Then, there were his granddaughters to which he was known as Poppy. Always with a quick wit and a bit of what sometimes only he considered great advice, Bryant and the granddaughters laughed, learned, and loved. Being a grandfather, as it turned out, was perhaps his most favorite pastime of them all.
A Memorial Service will be held on January 11th, 2025, at 11am at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1520 Oak Road, Snellville, Georgia 30078.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Matthew’s.