David Wilfred Blood

David Wilfred Blood, age 85, passed away on October 7, 2022 in Oberlin, Ohio.

David was born on March 12, 1937, in Hastings, Michigan, the son of Sherley Center and Vida Elsie (Cole) Blood.  David was a 1955 graduate of Woodland High School, Woodland Michigan, and was the co-salutatorian of his class.  He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1960 with a B.S.E in Electrical Engineering, and from Northeastern University in 1970 with a M.S. in Electrical Engineering.

David worked as an electrical engineer in radar and atmospheric propagation at Raytheon, Wayland MA, receiving an award for 25 years of service, MIT Research and Engineering, Lincoln MA (known as "Lincoln Labs"), Penn State University, State College PA under contract, and HRB Systems, State College PA, retiring in 1999.

On June 25, 1960, he married his high-school sweetheart, Iva Dane Blood, and they enjoyed 62 years together.

David loved and was so proud of his family with all their many interests and abilities.  He was thankful to God that all his children were followers of Jesus.  David was an avid amateur radio operator licensed and active from 1952 to 2022 (70 years!).  He loved music of all varieties, especially instrumental.  He followed a broad range of scientific interests including ionospheric, solar-terrestrial, radar, radio science, atmospheric, and geophysical.  He enjoyed an interest in American history and coin collecting.  He extensively researched his family genealogy.  He was actively involved in Boy Scouts of America when his sons were involved and served as a counsellor.  He was actively involved in 4-H during his youth.

David was a member of the Trigon Fraternity at the University of Michigan.  He was a member for 62 years of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and part of their Professional Group on Antennas and Propagation.  He was a member of the Association of Raytheon Retirees, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Nittany Amateur Radio Club, and the Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society.

David was a devoted follower of Jesus and was an active and faithful member of the East Oberlin Community Church.  Prior to this he was a member of the Abundant Grace Church in Oberlin, Ohio, the State College Evangelical Free Church, a long-term member of the Trinitarian Congregational Church in Wayland, Massachusetts, a member of the Waltham Evangelical Free church in Waltham Massachusetts, and the Sharon Evangelical Baptist Church in Sharon, Massachusetts.  He grew up in the First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Michigan.

David was preceded in death by his parents, Sherley Center and Vida Elsie Blood.

He is survived by his wife, Iva Dane Blood of Oberlin, Ohio; children Wesley (Marjorie) Blood; Sherley (David) Blood Thom; Janel Blood, Daryl (Alina) Blood; Marla (Jeremy) Brewer; grandchildren Andrew (Shelby) Blood; Samuel (Brigitta) Blood; Nijyl Brewer; Sacha Brewer; Lew Blood; great-granddaughter Felicity Blood; sister Ardath McCall; niece Carolyn Manting, and nephew Greg (Bryn) McCall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made out to the East Oberlin Community Church, 43709 Oberlin Elyria Rd, Oberlin, OH 44074.  If you would like to record a thought or message about David, you can do so here: https://www.tribute.co/david-blood/ .

Visitation will be on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 1:00 PM with a Funeral Service at 2:00 PM at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058.  The service will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/GirrbachFuneralHome .   Interment will be at 3:00 PM at Fuller Cemetery, with meal to follow at First Presbyterian Church, 405 N. M-37, Hastings, MI 49058.  Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence, visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net .

There will also be another memorial service on Monday October 24, 2022, 11:00 am, at the East Oberlin Community Church, with a meal following.