Jeffrey Alan Blair

Jeffrey Alan Blair, 71, died Saturday, October 28, 2023. Death, having tried for decades to dispatch Jeff, only to find him too strong an adversary to best in a fair fight, resorted to the desperate and unsportsmanlike conduct of sneaking up on him at home and taking him by surprise when his back was turned.

In life Jeff was a mighty reader, always with a book or three, and as a school librarian he helped foster a love of reading in untold others. He was a tireless collector of music, which he delighted in sharing with friends, family, and casual acquaintances. His humor and neckties ties were legendary, and his contributions to the Theatre Lawrence community are immeasurable. Above all, he was a gentle, thoughtful man and well-loved.

He is survived by his patient wife of 43 years, Sandy, his loving and occasionally embarrassed children Adam (Aimee) and Kate, granddaughter Eady, his sister Karen, his mother Alice, and his devoted cat Molly. His father Don preceded him in death.

An informal remembrance of Jeff will be held at Theatre Lawrence on Saturday, November 11th at 11am. If you would like to make a donation in Jeff’s memory, please consider Theatre Lawrence (care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St. Lawrence, KS 66044), where he spent many happy hours and forged many friendships.