Mayselle "May" (Soderstrom) Blake

Mayselle Soderstrom Blake, resident of Lansing, Michigan, passed away peacefully on April 8th 2023, surrounded by family at the age of 100.

May was born on November 7th, 1922 to Carl and Viva Soderstrom in Grant, Michigan. May graduated from Fremont High School and then continued her education at the St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Grand Rapids. Here she was one of the first enlisted group of the United States Cadet Nurses from this district to graduate. After training for one year in Grand Rapids, May was transferred to The Nurses Training School at Mercy Hospital in Muskegon, Michigan where she completed 2 additional years of training prior to joining the University Hospital as a staff nurse in Ann Arbor.  

During her time training to be a nurse, May married Ray Murray Blake, on November 8th, 1943. Together they had three children: Karly Blake, Ray Blake and David Blake,     

May worked at Ingham Medical Hospital in Lansing and then at St. Lawrence Hospital, Lansing, where she was head nurse in Labor and Delivery. Throughout her life, May enjoyed gardening, cooking, collecting antiques, and enjoying the company of family and friends at the cottage on Littlefield Lake.

May was preceded in death by her husband (Ray) in 1997 and her sister (Lillian Soderstrom Woodard) in 2023. May is survived by her three children, 6 grandchildren: Christi (Todd) Rapp, Brian McPeake, Jason Blake, Jennifer (Ashkan) Nassabi, Sarah (Mark) Johnson, and Holly Blake Mazza and many great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

The Funeral Service will be held at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at Kroeze-Wolfffis Funeral Home with Rev. Drew Sweetman officiating.  Visitation will also be at the funeral home from 2:30-3:30 PM on Tuesday.  Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Fremont.  

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