Jodie T Blaha

Jodie Thomas Blaha passed away on Oct. 1, 2012 at Scott & White Hospital in Temple. He was born near Granger on Feb. 4, 1925 to Walter J. Blaha and Annie Labaj Blaha. He was baptized and confirmed in the Granger Brethren Church.
Jodie graduated from Granger High School in 1943 and joined the service in 1944. He served for two years in the Pacific Theater as a cryptographic technician and received numerous awards and medals for his bravery during World War II. Upon discharge from the military, he entered the funeral service profession.
He married Monica Davis in 1950 and worked at Condra Funeral Home for 42 years, working with Monica for 32 of those. They bought Condra Funeral Home in 1969 and owned it for 20 years before Monica became ill with cancer. They sold the funeral home in 1989 so they could retire and travel before she passed away in 1997.
Jodie and Monica were faithful members of 10th Street Methodist Church in Taylor and Jodie held nearly every office in the church.
He was a member of the Kiwanis Club for many years and served as its president. He was named Kiwanian of the Year.
Jodie served on the Board of Directors of the Taylor Chamber of Commerce from 1969 to 1972. He was in charge of taking the Taylor float to surrounding towns for their annual parades. He was a mentor for the hosts program at Pasemann Elementary for many years, served on the Johns Community Hospital Development Board, and on the Taylor Conservation and Heritage Society. Jodie and Monica were instrumental in getting the first arts and crafts show in Taylor for the annual Fourth of July celebration. He was named the outstanding citizen of Taylor in 1978.
On Dec. 19, 1998, he married Trona Tidwell Krueger and became a member of the Hutto Discovery United Methodist Church. He acquired a mother-in-law, Ethel Tidwell, children, Treila Krueger-Aery, Dwayne and Nicki Krueger, and grandchildren, Grant Goury, Chelsey Krueger, and Deuce Krueger, and a beloved little companion, Brandy - a poodle who provided them with much joy. Jodie and Trona traveled extensively and enjoyed their 13 wonderful years together.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Monica, his mother-in-law, Ethel Tidwell, his second set of parents, Ray and Babe Condra, and his sister, Martha Kruse.

He is survived by his wife, Trona; his children, Treila, Dwayne and Nicki; his grandchildren, Grant, Chelsey, and Deuce; his niece and nephew, Ruth and Ray Bibb of San Antonio; nephew Bryan Kruse; his children Camryn and Jackson of San Antonio; niece Edwina Bagley of New Braunfels; nephew Michael Bagley of San Marcos; and niece Stacey and husband Travis Cowan of Denver, Colo. His extended family includes Glenna Tharp, Pam and Charlie Fuller, Glenn Tharp and Sandy Baker.
Visitation will be held at Providence Funeral Home on Tuesday, Oct. 2, from 6-8 p.m. Celebration of Life Services will be held at Providence Funeral Home on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, at 10 a.m.
Ministers officiating at the service will be Pastor Alan McGrath of Hutto Discovery United Methodist Church and Pastor Dudley Marx of Memorial Baptist Church. Debbie Marx will perform as soloist and Anita Volek will be the organist. Pallbearers will be Dwayne Krueger, George Sims, Glenn Tharp, Ray Bibb, Michael Bagley, Bryan Kruse, Mike Martin, and Ed Komandosky.

Memorials may be made to Hutto Discovery United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 426, Hutto, Texas, 78634, or to the charity of your choice.