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Dallas Lee Blood, 73
Dallas Lee Blood was born on March 15, 1944, in Spirit Lake, Idaho. Dallas was the 12th of 13 kids that the busy bodies Phillip Sr. and Sadie Blood had the pleasure to call theirs. Dallas learned many things from his dad such as when his mother called them for dinner you had better run fast and not trip. With that many kids in the house, if you tripped, it was too late-the food was gone.
Dallas graduated from the first graduating class of Lakeland High School in 1962. In 1965, he joined the Air Force where he became an aircraft avionics technician for the F-4 Phantom. He spent a very long stretch of his time in Germany where he found the beer warm and the women hairy. He returned to Spirit Lake after being discharged in 1968. Dallas quickly discovered that he was very good at foosball and pool. His brothers loved to join him when playing down at the local bar — they got free beer from Dallas’ winnings! One night in 1969, he saw a sparkle in his eye from across the bar; it was none but Gayle Darrington from California. They married in Coeur d’Alene on June 6, 1970. They lived in a small house on the edge of town and decided to make it smaller by having two sons, Clint and Chad. In 1978, the family moved to Hayden, Idaho, where Dallas worked for Consolidated Aluminum until they closed the plant. He retired from Louisiana Pacific in 2006.
From an early age, Dallas developed great skills and a love of the outdoors spending as much time as he could fishing and hunting. He also played basketball and baseball through high school. Later in life Dallas decided to share his knowledge of baseball and realized his gift of teaching as a coach. He coached many young men in the Hayden area about baseball and life (whether they wanted it or not). It seemed like no matter what Dallas decided to do, he became a master at it. Many of you know his love of golf and jokes. How many of you have experienced sore facial or stomach muscles from laughing so hard after spending a day with him? You know what we mean.
On March 25, 2017, Dallas received the opportunity to join the ultimate golf tournament — the Heavenly Masters Open with his brother, Phil Jr. Blood and sisters, Margaret Jobes, Lorena Hauck, Berniece LaClaire and Phyllis Low. Of course, after battling cancer for the past seven months, he jumped in his golf cart and took off. Left at the first tee are his wife, Gayle; son Clint Blood; son Chad Blood; daughter-in-law Renee Blood; daughter Tammy Donnel (yes he had a daughter — it’s a long story); son-in-law Kerry Donnel; and his two prideful trophy catches grandchildren, Tyler Blood and Melissa Donnel. Other spectators at the first tee include Dallas’ four brothers, Jack Blood, Clyde Blood, Leon Blood and Virgil Blood; his three sisters, Patsy Budd, Marian Smith and Gladys Storaasli; and numerous nieces and nephews (too many to count). We are pretty sure the 19th hole is roaring with laughter as Dallas makes his way from one soul to the next telling yet another joke. Dallas now gets to play any course he wants. So remember, if a golf ball drops from the clouds, it just may be his way of telling you he is watching over you, or he is playing a joke on you.
Please join the family to celebrate this wonderful man at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 9, 2017, at the Hayden Lake Eagles, 1520 W. Wyoming Ave., Hayden, ID 83835. Casual attire please.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID 83835.
Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Dallas’ online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com and sign his guest book.