DRAKESBORO – On Saturday, February 15, 2020, surrounded by his wife and daughters, Michael Ray Blake departed this world for his eternal heavenly home. Mike was born to Harold Ray and Mary Frances Newman Blake of Beech Creek on April 2, 1947. Mike, a 1965 graduate of Hughes-Kirk High School, married his high school sweetheart, Peggy Bowers, on June 27, 1965. After several years as a butcher for Field Packing Company in Owensboro, He and Peggy returned to Muhlenberg County. Mike began his career as a warehouseman and later truck driver for Zinnmeister’s, which later became Wetterau and finally, Super Valu, where he retired 30 years to the day after he began. Mike was a proud lifetime member of the Teamsters Union and served as the union steward for several years. Mike enjoyed life and was passionate about many things. He was an avid and very skilled fisherman and hunter. For many years, he raised and trained Pointer bird dogs for himself, as well as other hunters. He enjoyed quail hunting, especially with his father-in-law, Howard Bowers. He also enjoyed hunting squirrels and rabbits. Mike loved deer hunting and was excellent with both a bow and a gun, as well as a muzzle loader. He bagged many deer throughout his lifetime, including several trophy deer. After turkey hunting became legal in Kentucky, it soon became his favorite hunting season. Years after retiring from Super Valu, he was blessed to work in his dream job as a professional hunting guide for Smoky Ridge Outfitters. He helped hunters from all over the United States procure both deer and turkey. One of those customers, Hayden Lambson, is a famous wildlife artist. He enjoyed hunting with Mike as his guide so much that he used Mike as the hunter in one of his many famous paintings, “Up at 3 a.m.” Prints of these paintings are sold in Bass Pro Shops. In addition to hunting and fishing, Mike also competed for years in Archery competitions and collected numerous awards and titles, both as an individual and as a team archer with his wife, Peggy. The two also enjoyed playing golf together after Mike’s retirement and won quite a few golfing competitions, again both individually and as a team. Mike loved basketball and he and Peggy attended nearly every game at Hughes-Kirk High School and have been season ticket holders at Muhlenberg South High School, as well as Muhlenberg County High School. His favorite team was the Kentucky Wildcats Of all the things he was passionate about, his life with his wife, children and grandchildren was what made him the happiest. He coached a 13-15 year old girls softball team for many years. He started because of his daughters; however, he enjoyed coaching every single girl he had and loved them as if they were his own. He also supported all three daughters in the Hughes-Kirk High School Marching band for 14 years as a band parent. He was very involved in band boosters and drove the equipment bus for the band. He gave of his time selflessly for not only his own children, but for every child who participated in softball and band. His devotion to his children was evident, as he supported them in anything they ever did. He and Peggy enjoyed camping and boating at Kentucky Lake. They spent most summers on the lake with their family. His grandchildren all love the time he spent with them on the pontoon on Kentucky Lake. His personal relationship with Jesus Christ was his greatest accomplishment. He was an active member of Hazel Creek Baptist church, where he served as a trustee, member of the kitchen committee and especially enjoyed and was proud to be a member of the choir. He loved his church family very much. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Danny Blake and Terry Blake, son in law George Meadows, father in law and mother in law Howard and Ruby Bowers, as well as his grandparents, Rev. Willie and Annie Blake and Arvel and Bill Newman. He is survived by his devoted wife of nearly 55 years, Peggy, daughters Kim Meadows and Michelle (Jerry Jr.) O’Bannon of Beech Creek and Shannon (Aaron) Martin of Browder, grandchildren Ashley (Gavin) Hill of Columbus, Georgia, Clorissa (Marc Balmforth) Meadows, Jager Alfred Meadows of Beech Creek, Blake (Kaitlyn) O’Bannon of Beech Creek, Mollie Martin and Madelyn Martin, both of Browder, great granddaughters Paislee, Piper and Serenity O’Bannon and Dylan Hill, sisters Barbara (Hugh) Bunch of Hartford, Sherry (Jerry) Rickman of Browder, brothers Joe Blake of Penrod, Keith (Terri) Blake of Greenville, brothers in law Darrell (Doris) Bowers of Beech Creek, Mark (Sandy) Bowers of Beechmont, lifelong best friend Wayne (Lynn) Joines and family of Belton, aunts Anna Lee Grisham of Wadesville, IN, Billie (Randy) Hadley of Greenville, and Dorena (Leonard) Johanson of Browder, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Funeral services will be Wednesday, February 19, 2020, at 1:00PM at Hazel Creek Missionary Baptist Church, with Bro. Terry Chaney officiating, assisted by Bro. Barry Davis. Burial in Hazel Creek Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5-8PM and Wednesday after 9:00AM at Hazel Creek Missionary Baptist Church. Tucker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.tuckerfuneralhomes.com.