Obituaries

It is with heavy heart that we announce the passing of our Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle and Friend. On May 31, 2015 at 3:00 in the morning, Donald Francis Blood, gently drew his last breath and passed quietly in the night. He was attended by his wife, Patricia Ann Murphy Blood, and his two living sons, Kevin Francis Blood and Timothy Joseph Blood.

In that past many years, at least seven, Donald had journeyed through the often painful and despicable disease known as Alzheimer’s. He did not take this journey alone. He was joined by his family, of whom there were many. Donald is the son of Lloyd Francis Blood born 25 Jul 1893 and Mabel Otilia Veronica Gorman Blood born 16 Sep 1888. Of the nine children born to Lloyd and Mabel, after Donald’s passing, the only remaining is Dorothy Blood Clabby, who is also Donald’s twin sister.

Donald Francis Blood married Patricia Ann Murphy in 1953 and together, they had 7 children: Donna Blood Mecozzi of Livermore, Sharon Blood of Newark, Mary Beth Blood Gregoire (deceased in 2007), Kevin Francis Blood of Newark, Anthony Martin Gerard Blood (deceased in 1994), Patricia Blood Hammond of Somerset, and Timothy Joseph Blood of Fremont; 16 grandchildren: Desiree Marie Blood–Shockey, Andrew James Gregoire, Christina Marie Blood-McAdams, Katherine Rose Gregoire, Vincent James Mecozzi, Patrick Joseph Gregoire, Joseph Martin Mecozzi, Daniel Martin Mecozzi, Michael Lance Hunter, Cara Therese Mecozzi, William Jay Hammond, Lisa Jean Blood, Laura Ashton Hammond, Constance Elizabeth Hammond, Morgan Ann Marie Blood, and Tyler Anikin Blood; and 8 great-grandchildren plus one on the way: Parker Joesph Hall, Grace Loraine Hall, Elliott Sterling Hall, Aemon James Gregoire, Alijha James Gregorie, Sophia Elizabeth Gregoire, Natalie Nicole McAdams, Donavan Scott McAdams, and T.B.D. Lilyana Elizabeth Fontes. Also survived by many, many, many, nieces and nephews.

Born in 1929 during the depression, my father grew up in the small mid-western town of Aberdeen South Dakota. He was the youngest in the family including his twin Sister Dorothy. He filled his days with friends and adventure, as he and they played such games that today would be deemed way to dangerous. They used to play in and around the train tracks as well as on them. Dad liked to tell the story of running chase across the tops of train cars when they were idle, looking behind to be sure he was ahead and cleared from being tagged, hopping car to car. He laughs as he recounts loosing site of his path once and running right off the end of the last car.

On another occasion his brother Jim fell out of a tree and broke his arm, or perhaps it was his leg, playing hide and seek. The tree climbing was complicated by the fact that he was wearing ice-skates. To be sure, the Blood boys played rough.

He had a story of being deeply embarrassed because he was hit by a car in the rear end while skipping rocks down the street on his way to school. The car, a model T or A, did little damage, but caused concern from all who witnessed it and word got back to his mother Mabel. He was none too pleased when she stormed into the school and demanded he drop his trousers so that she could inspect his injuries.

According to his sister Dorothy, he had a wild and vivid imagination and could entertain himself for hours. One particular pass-time, was basketball which he played in their kitchen. He narrated and announcing every play in great detail. All plays were acted out with great exaggeration all without benefit of actual basket, or for that matter ball.

He loved to tell the story of being woken on a daily bases by his mother calling out to him and some of his still in school siblings. She would shout up the stairs, "Donny, Dorothy, Jimmy, Chester, Haaazel!" This he lovingly chanted to us as he recalled those days.

Later, at the age of 19, Donald Francis Blood joined the Navy and began some great adventures traveling around the world. The 2nd World War was over and his brothers had all returned home safely. He was inspired by their stories and could not wait to have adventures of his own.

He traveled to the Far East vising Morocco, he brought back many exotic treasures from all his travels including a Maroon colored felt hat, it was oddly shaped, had a tassel on the top and he called it a Fez. There were cameos of mother of pearl, and Rosary’s made of wooden beads and many rich and elaborate stories of the places he’d been.

He had already met a beautiful nursing student with dark hair and striking blue eyes, from George, Iowa before he shipped out. That is our mother, Patricia Ann Murphy who he’d met on a blind date. He was truly smitten with her. He traveled with a photographic portrait of her as he made his way to those exotic lands. He loved to tell the story of the time he was traveling around the boot of Italy, had wondered around a village on leave, and found an artist who would take a photograph and turn it by hand into a lovely painting on canvas scaled many times larger. He wanted to have the photo he carried of his fiancé transformed into the beautiful canvas painting but they were shipping out and their time was at an end. He and the artist came up with a plan, to leave the photo and rendezvous about a week later many miles away on the other side of the “boot”. He said, he left the photo and turned over all his cash and made it back on the ship just in time. As you might guess, he caught heck from the guys who told him he’d been snookered out of both the photo and his money. To all their surprise about a week later, they pulled into port many miles east of the previous port. Waiting on the dock to greet the ship and deliver both the photo and finished work of art, stood the artist. The portrait still hangs on the wall in our house, most of you have seen it.

Our dad had a gift of making everyday living into remarkable adventures and to be sure we have had many real and imagined ones with him.

We invite you to put in a friend request on our newly created Facebook page for Donald Blood, to post your stories, pictures and memories of your time with Donald. We thank you for your love, your support and your friendship on behalf of our father. Let the good times continue, in memorial.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 4, from 5-8pm with a vigil at 6:30pm at Fremont Memorial Chapel, 3723 Peralta Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 5, 1:30pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 41933 Blacow Rd., Fremont, CA 94538. Inurnment at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Fremont, CA.