Christopher W. Blades

Christopher W. Blades, 51, of Sioux City was carried to heaven in God's arms Wednesday, April 18, 2007.

Memorial services will be 4 p.m. Monday at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel, with the Rev. Dave Rusk officiating. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Christopher entered this world on Dec. 9, 1955. He was the third child born to Ora and Everett Blades in Sioux City. He attended Hawthorne Elementary School as well as Leeds High School. He also attended Morningside College.

Early on Frankie Williams entered his life and became a devoted friend as well as a Judo instructor. This is where his love of sports began. After excelling in Judo for several years, he also developed an interest in Tae Kwon Do and began taking lessons from Mr. John Watson. This began a love of Tae Kwon Do that stayed with him for the rest of his life. He was an avid competitor and competed on a national level several times. However, as the years went on, he found that teaching others about the sport he loved and helping them attain their goals became more rewarding than any of his past accomplishments in his Tae Kwon Do career could ever be.

Over the years, he touched the lives of the people he taught. He always referred to his students as his own family and especially enjoyed working with children. He always had something positive to say about each student's progress and was especially proud of the way his students carried the tenants of Tae Kwon Do out of class and into their daily lives.

He also began teaching yoga classes and enjoyed helping people improve the quality of their lives through healthy living and yoga. Through the classes he taught, he met some very special people who he greatly admired for their dedication and spirit. In addition, he was a biking enthusiast (i.e., "I refuse to pay for gas, I will ride by bike instead!"). He also competed in several marathons and weight lifting competitions, which he trained for and competed in with his longtime friend, Uno Kanto.

In his spare time, he enjoyed attending bow shoots with his hunting buddies. He also was an avid deer hunter and spent countless seasons hunting with his best friend, Ted Mussleman. After the season came to an end, whether it was successful or not, it was still a highlight of the year. The stories that he and Ted would tell will be remembered with laughter and friendship.

In 1987, Diane Reuer and her daughter, Sheena, entered his life. In 1989, they moved to Sioux City to begin their lives with Chris. He was a dedicated and loving husband who was always encouraging with a smile and a twinkle in his blue eyes. No matter what happened throughout their lives together, Diane always knew that he was her best friend and she could always count on him. Even though he is gone, she knows he is still here beside her where he promised he always would be.

He was also a very proud and devoted father. He was always there to give fatherly advice, which Sheena knew she could count on. If there were a problem, no matter how small or large, he would help her find a solution. There was always a hug and an "I love you" waiting. He encouraged her to reach her goals and dreams in life and was looking forward to watching her graduate in May with nothing but encouraging words for the future.

He will also be remembered for his compassion and love for his dogs, Hank, Bud, Bear and Brody.

He is survived by his loving wife, Diane; a daughter, Sheena; his mother, Ora Blades; two sisters, Mickie and her husband, Dave Small and Leslie Blades; a brother, Randall Blades; his mother and father-in-law, LeRoy and Esther Vogel; three sisters-in-law, Kathy Vogel, Carol and her husband, Marty Eriksen and Joyce and her husband, David Schmidt; a brother-in-law, Daniel Vogel and his wife, Lexie; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Honorary pallbearers will be Frankie Williams, Ted Mussleman, Uno Kanto, Bob Buller, Houma Maka, Darrel Minor, Joe Benoite and all of his hunting friends and his Tae Kwon Do family.

He will be missed by all of his Tae Kwon Do family and all of his close hunting friends that he loved so much. He loved sharing your stories.