Raymond E. Blaise

Raymond E. Blaise, age 93, of Murphysboro, passed away at 6:58 p.m. Sunday, May 24, 2009, at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Murphysboro, Illinois. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 27, 2009, at Pettett Funeral Home with Rev. Shaker Samuel officiating and burial at Pleasant Grove Memorial Park with military services conducted by the American Legion Post # 127, V.F.W. Post # 7190 and 2605, and the Jackson County D.A.V. Chapter # 69. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday until 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in Murphysboro or to the American Cancer Society. Raymond was boron on October 2, 1915, in Jackson County, Illinois, to Edward Blasie and Leona Mae (Reiman) Blaise. He served in the Co. F, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Division of the U.S. Army during World War II. He participated in the invasion of Sicily, Salerno, and Anzio in Italy. During the German Counter-Attack which began on February 16, 1944, as American Forces were being driven back to the beaches of Anzio, he and a heroic group of 900 men were asked to hold the Anzio-Albano Road for 48 hours, so that American Forces could reorganize. They held for seven days, saving the entire American Forces from annihilation. This battle is often referred to as the Battle of the Caves. His unit suffered more than 90 percent casualties. When he was ordered to withdraw and making his way through German lines, he was captured. He spent 15 months as a Prisoner of War in Germany and was liberated on may 1, 1945. He was a true American Hero. Raymond worked as a carpenter in the area. Mr. Blaise was a member of the First Baptist Church in Murphysboro, a life member of the American Legion Post # 127 and a life member of the V.F.W. Post # 7190, and a member of the Jackson County D.A.V. Chapter # 69 and National D.A.V. Raymond married Eleanor "Sally" Dunn on November 18, 1945, in Centralia, Illinois, and she survives. Other survivors include three sons Michael R. Blaise and his wife Regina "Dawn" Blaise, David E. Blaise and his wife Cathy Blaise, and Dr. Dale W. Blaise and his wife Kelli Blaise, all of Murphysboro; seven grandchildren and one step granddaughter: Aaron M. Blaise of Murphysboro, Daniel R. Blaise of Marion, Darin E. Blaise of DeKalb, Melissa A. Blaise of St. Louis, MO, Brian W. Blaise, Bradley A. Blaise, Lindsay N. Blaise, and Kailyn Jo Schutz, all of Murphysboro; six great grandsons; one brother Charles T. Blaise, of Poplar Bluff, MO; and two sisters Mary Ledbetter of Piqua, OH and Dorothea Iahn of Leadwood, MO. He was preceded in death by one sister and his parents.

Raymond E. Blaise

October 2, 1915 - May 24, 2009