TOPE FAMILY PAGE

41. Elsie Leora⁵ Kear (Mary Catherine⁴ Levi³, George², John¹) was born 11 April 1871 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio,⁶ and died on 3 March 1918 in Decatur, Van Buren County, Michigan. On 11 October 1899, she married James Monroe Athey son of Jackson and Jane Athey, who were born in Ireland.¹ James was born in September 1866 in Cuba, Clinton County, Ohio and died 17 April 1931 in Decatur, Monroe County, Michigan. Elsie and James are buried in the Lakeside Cemetery, Decatur, Van Buren County, Michigan.²   

    Elsie and James Athey had eight children:

    142 i. Raymond Melville⁶ Athey was born 22 April 1890 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio.

+143 ii. Carl Lynden Athey was born 8 October 1896.144 

         iii.  Clifford Kear Athey was born 10 October 1891 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio.

+145 iv. Vivian Eulelia Athey was born 4 February 1900 in Alverton, Ohio.

146  v. Lucille Genevieve Athey was born 12 May 1905 in Decatur, Van Buren

County, Michigan.

+147 vi. Ruth Carey Athey was born 21 May 1908 in Decatur, Van Buren

County, Michigan.

148 vii. Robert James Athey was born 18 February 1910.

149 viii. David LeRoy Athey was born 26 February 1912.

42 Eva Louella⁵ Kear (Mary Catherine⁴, Levi³, George², John¹) was born in Wert County, Ohio," and died 30 May 1976 in Lynwood, Los Angeles County, California.100 Luella, who was known as "Lou' married Leon C. Blake, son of Franklin S. Blake and Julia E. Wert, on 28 May 1899 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio. Leon, known as Tee,"" was born 9 June 1877 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio and died on 6 July 1974 in Lynwood, Los Angeles County, California. Lou and Leon are buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

  When the family lived in Van Wert, Lou worked as the secretary and order clerk for a coal yard.

    Lee Blake received his early education in portraiture in the Agler Studio starting around 1900. D. E. Agler and his wife opened the Agler Studio at 113 West Main Street in 1894. They retired in 1936, and on 20 August 1936 Lee