Jim blades

Jim Blades, a Lab retiree and a resident of Pleasanton, died Dec. 25. He was 93.

Born Dec. 23, 1919 in Chicago, his family moved to Brooklyn in 1931 where he attended Brooklyn Tech in preparation for MIT.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy.

Blades married his wife Margaret in 1944. After their son John was born, they moved to Orinda in 1947, and Blades was hired at Berkeley Lab. They had three more children, Annis, Liz and Rick and by this time Blades worked at the LLNL.

The family moved to Danville in 1954 and to Pleasanton in 1971. Blades was a 33rd degree Mason. He retired from the Lab as a chief draftsman in 1980.

Blades is survived by his wife of 68 years, Margaret; his children; grandchildren, Lisa, Brian, Tony, Olivia and Skye; and great granddaughter, Daisy.

A celebration of life will be held Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. at the Masonic Center, 3370 Hopyard Rd., Pleasanton. RSVP to (925) 519-0034 (Annis). A memorial service will be held at St. Claire's Episcopal Church, Pleasanton, at a future date.