Myrna Blake was the first of five children, born on April 10, 1965 to Renaud St-Jean and Leonne Gauthier St-Jean in Chicago, Illinois. The family later moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. While still of preschool age, Myrna spent a handful of years with her grandparents in Haiti.
Returning to Montreal, she attended English grade school. Myrna attended high school at Kingsway College in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. She then completed an Associate of Arts degree in Respiratory Care at Columbia Union College, now Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland. She was highly skilled in this field and received the highest distinction as a Registered Respiratory Therapist from the National Board of Respiratory Care.
She had two beautiful children, Benjamin and Gabrielle. The family moved from the Maryland area to New Mexico. Years later, becoming single, she returned to the Maryland region. There she met and married Robert Blake in 2011, who already had a son, Corbin. Myrna and Robert became very active in the area churches through health ministry and Bible work. The couple came to Alabama to assist Robert’s parents when illness struck.
Myrna plugged into the local community in the Huntsville, Alabama metro area where besides working as a respiratory therapist, she continued her favorite activity of personal ministry. Myrna never met a stranger! She discovered a new gift and volunteered for three years as a teacher’s aide for pre-kindergarten through second grades. The students and parents alike loved her dearly. Within the two months of her death, she passionately pursued and successfully completed the Medical Missionary program, as well as being an inaugural member of Oakwood University’s Community Health Worker program.
Myrna enjoyed learning and discovering new things, especially cultures. Already trilingual in French, Haitian Creole, and English, she started studying Spanish. She had an incredible memory for Bible verses and developed this gift in her young students.
Her maternal grandmother primarily introduced Myrna to God. She had a personal experience with the Holy Spirit and her love for Jesus continued to grow throughout her life.
Preceded in death by her father, Renaud, Myrna leaves to mourn her death, her husband, Robert, son, Benjamin, daughter, Gabrielle, stepson, Corbin, mother, Leonne, Sister Gessy Duncan (Isaac III), triplet brothers: Herve, Larry, Renel; sister-in-law Johnia Curtis (Carl I), nephews: Isaac IV, Carl II, Jaden; niece, Courtney, and a host of other relatives and friends.
Funeral service will be 3:00 p.m., Monday, July 29, 2024 at the First Seventh-day Adventist Church (1303 Evangel Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35816) with Pastor Alexander Lampkin officiating. Interment will be in the Oakwood Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Blake will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral time.
Please consider in lieu of flowers making a donation to the newly established Myrna Blake scholarship at:
Bessie Allen Preparatory School and Missions International
974 Charley Patterson Road
New Market, AL 35762
