Rick Blair

Rick (Richard Herman) Blair, Jr. was unexpectedly called to Heaven on October 30, 2024. He was born July 29, 1952, in Ft. Wayne, IN, to Richard (Dick) & Beverly (Garrison) Blair, the 2nd child of 8 children. In 1970, after graduating from high school, he went to visit his uncle & family in Las Cruces. He eventually went to work for Fred Hess at Metal Craft Co. doing air conditioning, heating & sheet metal work. In 1971, Fred’s sister moved her family to Las Cruces & her oldest daughter, Fredda Carol Berryman, went to work as a bookkeeper. Needless to say, they began dating in 1972 & were married August 18, 1973, for 51 loving & wonderful years. After 11 years with Metal Craft Co., he went to work at WSMR as a civil servant for the Army, then the Navy & back to the Army for a total of 30 years, at which time he retired in 2012. In retirement, he did lots of remodeling on their home and loved hunting, fishing and camping. They also traveled to Scotland in 2019 & then to Finland this past August. 

He was preceded in death by his parents Dick & Beverly Blair, his mother-in law & stepfather-in-law Marilyn & Neil Burcham, his father-in-law & stepmother-in-law Doug & Margaret Berryman, his sister-in-law Patty (Berryman) Jennings, his brother-in-law Dan Berryman & nephew Jonathan Blair.

He is survived by his loving wife Fredda, here in Las Cruces; their son Richard Neil & wife Lori Blair & their children Amber Lynn, Alan Lee & Alex Richard, all of Albuquerque, NM; his 7 siblings, Cyndee Carlo of Phoenix, AZ, Mike & wife Debbie Blair of Sparta, TN, Teri & husband Mike Silvestri of Ft. Wayne, IN, Scott Blair of Las Cruces, Kent Blair of Ft. Wayne, IN, Craig Blair of Avila, IN & Kelly McAllister of Apache Junction, AZ. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Doug & wife Rhonda Berryman of Las Cruces, NM, brother-in-law Joel & Tish Berryman of Belton, TX, sister-in-law Shelley & Eric Petersen of Laguna Beach, CA, his brother-in-law Tim Jennings of Roswell, NM & his sister-in-law Rosanna Vazquez Berryman of Ignacio, CO. He leaves behind many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces & great-nephews & numerous dear & very close friends.

In Lieu of flowers the family asks to make donations to American Cancer Society or a Charity of your choice. 

Memorial services will take place at Getz Funeral Home, on Friday, November 22, 2024 beginning at 2:00 pm.