Dorothy Blake

BLAKE, DOROTHY REECE FLETCHER- Dorothy Reece Fletcher Blake age 93,  of Roswell passed away peacefully Tuesday, August 4, 2020 surrounded by her loving family and her beloved dog Jack.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, October 10, 2020 at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2801 W. Fourth St. Roswell, NM with Father Dale Plummer of Saint Andrews Episcopal Church officiating. A reception at the church will take place following the service. Internment will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, October 12, 2020 at South Park Cemetery.

Reece was born in Roswell, NM on January 15, 1927 to parents Reece Littleton Fletcher and Thomas Mark Fletcher. After graduating from Roswell High, she attended University of Southern California where she studied piano and voice. Never one to hide her light under a bushel, as her mother used to say, Reece sang in big bands during her time at school and enjoyed seeing the sights with her brother Burt, also in school.

She came home to Roswell for summer break, met Harry D. Blake, Jr. and didn’t return to school. Instead, she was crowned Miss Roswell in 1947 and spent the next year or so building the house in which she was married in 1949 and raised her family there over the ensuing years. She was a devoted mother and always supported her children one hundred percent.

For over fifty years, Reece participated in the Roswell Community Little Theater. Some of her most memorable parts were leading roles in “Mame”, and “Opal”. She later directed both of these productions and many others including “The Fantastiks”.

Reece put her music skills to good use as choir director for First Christian Church and was a longtime member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church choir. She was also a member of the Sweet Adelines and the Henpeckers barbershop quartet and directed the Enchanters choral group. She played piano for various churches and organizations.

Reece was very active with the Roswell Assistance League. For many years she was involved with the ‘Frolics’, a fundraiser put on every two years that included two weeks of very intense singing, skits and quick study dance routines - she never disappointed. She was always happy to share her talents and encourage other people to develop theirs. And when she gave you that smile you always had to give it one more try.

Reece was a real estate broker for many years and had her own business. Later she became a business manager for several local physicians.

She loved to fly, was an avid skier, and loved to dance. She took up oil painting and won a blue ribbon at the Roswell Fine Arts League show with her very first entry. At the age of 59 she went back to school to get a degree in business from the University of Phoenix in Albuquerque, because - in her own words, “you should never stop learning”.  Even while in her 80’s, she was always looking forward to learning something new and, at times, even found herself planning for projects way into the future, far beyond her expected life span.

One Friday evening on her way home from Albuquerque, she took a wrong turn and wound up at Elephant Butte Lake.  We had no idea where she was until she finally got home and called us, very late. Instead of being frustrated and upset, to Reece it was an unexpected adventure to have a nice drive and see the lake by moonlight; it was ‘magical’ and ‘well worth the trip’.  She always had a positive attitude and never met a stranger.

Reece loved to entertain others and dazzle them with her abundant talent and zest for life. At one special birthday party for her daughter Kathi, she put on a dance performance for several dozen children.  She was such a people person who loved to stay in touch with friends. A  group of friends from school, long after they were married and had their own families, would often meet up in some distant location like Boston, Dallas, Washington DC, wherever…. and reconnect.

Reece was instrumental in developing the Roswell Outdoor Theatrical Association which brought “Roswell the Musical “to the Roswell Amphitheatre. She directed the music and ran the operation for several years. Participants referred to her as ‘Mojo Mama’ for her ability to keep things moving and getting it done. This was only one of the many projects she and her son Tom worked on together.

Music was her favorite means of expression. Reece passed her love of music on to her children and to many music students who will no doubt remember her patience and perseverance.

Reece is preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Tom Fletcher, Burt Fletcher, and Bob Fletcher. She is survived by her daughter Kathi Link and her husband Bernie of Roswell, Scott Blake and his wife Helen of Glennville, Georgia, and Tom Blake and his wife Marina of Roswell; seven grandchildren – Louie Link, Monica Link, Allison Blake, Kevin Blake, Marie Kicklighter, Margo Nobles, and Bryan Blake, fifteen great grandchildren and seven great great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank caregivers Sandy Stacey and Alyssa Dunn and the staff at Frontier Medical for their wonderful care and kindness.