Josephine A. Blakley, 93

Josephine A. Blakley, 93, passed away on Aug. 12, 2014, at Kootenai Health as a result of complications from a surgery.

Josephine was born to Oscar P. Johnson and Esther C. Oleson Johnson on Aug. 7, 1921, in Coeur d'Alene. She attended Winton Elementary School in Coeur d'Alene, and graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School in 1939. Growing up during the Great Depression and being a young adult during World War II gave Josephine great strength, patriotism, and appreciation for the simple things in life.

Josephine lived a long and happy life. She was very proud of her Swedish heritage. Family and friends were always her top priority. A stranger was not a stranger for long, as she loved to talk. She was always there for those dear to her, giving a helping hand, consoling, giving advice and just plain caring.

Josephine was a hard worker. As a young girl, she and her siblings picked strawberries in Dalton Gardens for a penny per pound to help earn money for their family. As a teenager, she worked at Homer's Ice Cream shop, the Regina Drive-In, and Woolworth's - all in Coeur d'Alene. She, along with other young and older women enjoyed meeting and befriending the young sailors from Farragut Naval Station. Josephine was a Junior Hostess with the USO Club in Coeur d'Alene from 1942-1944, and worked as a stenographer at the Coeur d'Alene and Vicinity Labor Counsel from 1943-1950.

On May 4, 1947, Josephine married her dream man, George M. Blakley, Jr., at Trinity Lutheran Church. They were happily married for almost 30 years until George passed away Jan. 7, 1977. Josephine and George had one daughter, Christine R. "Tina" Shults on March 13, 1951.

The family moved to Moscow, Idaho, in 1953 due to George's transfer with the Department of Labor. They returned to Coeur d'Alene in 1955, and later on moved to Boise in 1970.

As a widow, Josephine moved to Missoula, Mont., in 1982, and then to Post Falls in 1995 to be near her daughter and son-in-law. In 2002, her daughter and son-in-law, Tina and Phil, purchased a home in Post Falls with a special apartment for Josephine where she lived until her death.

Josephine was a wonderful homemaker. She loved cooking, baking, sewing and cleaning. Her baking and canned foods often won first place at the Kootenai County Fair. She was an accomplished seamstress utilizing many tailoring methods. Up until a couple of weeks before her death she made macrame plant hangers and called herself "The Nutty Knotter."

She was the most wonderful friend to many people, and will be missed.

Josephine was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary No. 889, Parent Teachers Association (past President), Campfire Girls leader, volunteer at the Blood Bank in Boise, volunteer at Missoula Senior Center and Vasa Tegner Lodge No. 224 in Missoula.

Josephine was preceded in death by her husband, George; parents Oscar and Esther; sisters Edith Pederson, Evelyn Forsell, and Emma Frisch; and brother, Carl Johnson. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Christine R. Shults and Philip E. Shults; cousin John Larson (Lorna); sister-in-law Rae Johnson; brothers-in-law Charles Blakley, Everett Blakley, and Harry (Jack) Huffer; five nieces, one nephew, six great-nieces, and two great-nephews.

The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014, at the English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d'Alene. She will be buried with her husband at Forest Cemetery. Please visit Josephine's online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.