Irene (Rasmussen) Blair, 93, was born July 12, 1926 and passed away peacefully on June 3, 2020. Irene was born in St. Paul, Minnesota to Robert and Catherine Rasmussen, the youngest of four children. She moved to California as a young girl, graduating from Modesto High School in 1944, and went to work as a secretary at Valley Tractor Co. She met the love of her life, William “Bill” Blair, on a blind date. They were married in 1949.

Irene and Bill opened and worked at Blair Jewelers in 1965 until they retired and closed the business in 1995. They loved traveling in their motorhome and enjoying retired life together. She was a past member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority and joined Bill in activities with the Turlock Masonic Lodge and Shriners. She was very proud of her Danish heritage and her house was filled with her needlework and embroidery work. 

Irene was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Catherine Rasmussen; her two brothers, Ejner and Harvey Rasmussen; and her sister, Lillian Collins. She is survived by her husband, Bill Blair; her son, Phillip (Janet) Blair; her daughter, Lori (Dan) Harvey; her grandchildren, Brian (Marramonie) Blair and Christine (David) King; and her great-grandchildren, Morgan, Katy, Jason and Simon. 

An urn placement will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 12, 2020 at Turlock Memorial Park, 575 N. Soderquist Rd., Turlock.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, Northern California, 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817. Attention: Donations Dept. Re: Irene Blair. Cards and remembrances can be mailed to William Blair, 11261 Doerksen Rd., Denair, CA 95316.