Tracy Headlight Herald, May 24, 1995

Josephine Blake, 86

Private services were held for Josephine Blake of Seattle, Washington, who died May 18, 1995 in Seattle. At her request her ashes will be deposited in the Pacific Ocean at a favorite beach in Hawaii.
Josephine Swoffer Blake was born on January 9, 1909, at Tracy to Ada Fitch Swoffer and Alfred Swoffer. She attended Tracy Public Schools and St Cloud Teachers College. The Fitch family was among the earliest settlers of Tracy and started the State Bank of Tracy. Ada Fitch was born in Tracy.
She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, Eastern Star, P.E.O. and the Sunshine Society.
On October 6, 1909 [sic], Josephine and Lewis Blake, DDS, were married at Eden Prairie. Dr Blake was a dentist in Tracy until 1949. He was a member of the school board, Masons and other community organizations. He practiced dentistry in Hawaii until 1976. He died in 1980. They lived for approximately 25 years in Hawaii before joining their children and grandchildren in Washington state.
Survivors include children Karen Wynn of Pennsylvania, Nancy Petlerin of Seattle and Janet Fiscus of Redmond, Washington; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and niece Sonia Peterson Ruthenbeck.
Preceding her in death are her parents, husband, two sisters Lucille Swoffer Carlander, and Frances Peterson Swoffer, and brothers Fred Swoffer and Alfred Swoffer.