Doris Lee Blake

Doris Lee Blake was born in Johnson Neck, Maryland on October 28, 1934. She was the daughter of the late Elwood Purnell and Garnetta Blake Lee. Doris was called to eternal rest on Sunday, April 28, 2019 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center at 9:30 in Salisbury, Maryland.

Doris received her education in the public schools of Worcester County. She held various jobs throughout her lifetime, the most notable being, twenty years at Stockton Bay Road Crab Factory.

At an early age, Doris joined St. Paul United Methodist Church in Stockton, Maryland which eventually merged with Shiloh United Methodist Church. She served on the Culinary Committee at St. Paul and as a member of the Shiloh Progressive Senior Citizen Club.

Doris loved the holidays, especially Halloween, Christmas, and family gatherings. In her younger years, she would dress up as Santa Claus at the Stockton Fire Department and her grandson’s daycare. She was extremely convincing in this role because her children didn’t even know it was her. On Halloween, she loved to dress up as a clown and hand out candy to the children. At family gatherings, Doris kept the party alive. She was the life of all events, joking, singing, and doing her version of the two-step.

Doris surprised the family by going on a trip with her friend, Gerri Butler, to the Bahamas. It was her first time flying and she actually left the country. Doris loved bus trips, which took her to numerous locations, Cowtown Farmers Market, New Jersey, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, and Virginia Beach, to name a few.

One thing you could count on from Doris was her honest opinion. She didn’t hold back from letting you know (lovingly), just what was on her mind. Doris had a love for puzzle books, games shows, talking on the phone, and her beloved Baltimore Ravens. She could be seen daily from 10 am to 4 pm sitting on the front porch, people watching, speculating on where people were going and what she thought they were doing.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Claude Blake; and a special cousin, Ruth Collins.

She leaves to cherish her memories: five children, Denise Savage of Baltimore, MD, Shelly Blake-Combs of Tampa, FL, Brenda Blake, Wayne Blake, both of Pocomoke, MD, and Antonio Benjamin of Fayetteville, NC; five grandchildren, Rasheed Savage, Rashaund Savage, both of Baltimore, MD, Kendrick Summer of Chicago, IL, Charles Combs of Houston, TX, and Accassia Ham of Colorado Springs, CO; four great-grandchildren, Emery Combs, Kendrick “Astin” Summers, Jr., Jabari Fenwick, and Cienna Combs; three sisters, Nellie, Catherine, and Pearl Purnell; one brother, Norwood Purnell; one aunt, Emma (Owen) Jackson; one uncle, Joseph (Eunice) Blake; lifelong friends, Janice Conquest and Nancy Fuller; and a host of close cousins, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.