David E. Blalack, 92

David E. Blalack, 92, passed away on Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, in Hope, Idaho.

There will be a private memorial service at the Blalack family home on Lake Pend Oreille.

David was born on March 25, 1924, in Glendale, Ohio. He was a lieutenant in the Navy and served in World War II.

He graduated from Miami University in 1947 before moving to California that same year.

He had a brief stint as a school teacher, but was the first to admit that teaching was not his calling.

However, working in the school put him on a path to what would become a very successful career in school photography.

He spent several years working for other photography companies before creating a company of his own, which he led for over 26 years. He retired in 1987, and he will be best remembered for the rich life he led throughout the nearly three decades that followed.

Although he was very successful in business it was not his passion, but merely the means by which he could live out his love for his wife, adventure, world travel, fine food, cigars, and meaningful conversation. David and his wife, Yvonne, were expert entertainers, and they frequently welcomed friends and family for extended visits to their homes in Hope, Idaho, Laguna Beach, Calif., and later Palm Springs, Calif. Each summer, their siblings, children, young grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and their friends would descend upon their Hope home for weeks at a time, which, as a result, affectionately came to be known as “Camp Blalack.”

Cooking was one of David’s passions (he even attended cooking school in Italy) and he delighted in preparing delicious meals from scratch for the many guests one might see at his table on any given evening. Following such meals, he could be found on his deck overlooking the lake, with a cigar in one hand and scotch in the other, in deep conversation with family and friends. He was a student of life who had not only an honest interest in learning and hearing about others’ experiences, but also a knack for storytelling. He freely shared tales of his own adventures and honest reflections and was very open about his own vulnerability and what he felt were his shortcomings. David was always questioning and always willing to entertain alternate explanations, even from those who were far younger and had less life experience than himself. He was a warm and generous spirit; he encouraged others to embrace life’s adventures and challenges, but above all else, let the good times roll.

David is survived by his wife of over 35 years, Yvonne Blalack; his daughters, Debbie Walker and Theresa Petersen; his grandchildren, David, Roxanne, Matt, and Melissa; and his great-grandchildren, Saffron, Odessa, and Olivia. We are so grateful for the lust for life that you instilled in us all. We will miss you GP.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit David’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.