Margaret Blaine Neikirk Strange, 81, of Hermitage, Tennessee, was welcomed to her forever heavenly home Sunday, July 23, 2017 after several months of declining health.  She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 48 ½ years, Walter Clay Strange. She is survived by her daughters Susan Roe (Steve Roe) and Kathryn Forrest (Steve Forrest) and son Kirk Strange (Letitia Lankford Strange); six grandchildren, Amanda Roe Lauer (Ivan Lauer), Christian Roe, Taylor King (Jennifer Haggard King), Shelby and Campbell Forrest, Hope Strange; two great-grandchildren Spencer and Allyson King; and several special nieces, nephews and cousins.  She was also preceded in death by her parents Judge C. Homer and Opal Denny Neikirk, and her sister Glenda Neikirk Gill.

She was born in Somerset, Kentucky, where she lived until her adult years; she would later publish fond memories of her idyllic upbringing in this small town. She was a member of First Baptist Church, Somerset, and upon her marriage in 1960 joined Porter Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky.  After moving to Nashville in 1979, she joined Two Rivers Baptist Church and later became a member of Tulip Grove Baptist Church in Old Hickory.  She held many church offices and served on several committees in each of the churches she belonged to, these including Sunday School teacher, vacation bible school teacher, choir member, social chairperson (among friends she was known as the “Hostess with the Mostest”), mission outreach and senior adult council.  She loved the Lord and served Him with a cheerful heart.

She graduated from Somerset High School where she was a class officer, member of National Honor Society, and a recipient of the DAR Good Citizenship Medal. She attended Georgetown College and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Speech Therapy, a new field at that time.  She was a member and officer of Kappa Delta Sorority and named to Phi Kappa Phi.  She served as a Speech Therapist in Charleston, South Carolina; Middlesboro, Kentucky; Paris, Kentucky; Harrodsburg, Kentucky; and Lexington, Kentucky.  She retired as a Speech Therapist after 20 years at Tennessee School for the Blind in Nashville, Tennessee, where she served as President of TSBEA, on the coordinating committee for the TSB’s Sesquicentennial and other committees.   She was recognized by the Tennessee Education Association with a Distinguished Classroom Teacher Award.  She was loved by faculty, administration, students and parents, whom she adored in return.

She never lost her positive outlook on life and expressed joy in living every day.  She was kind, selfless and valued a Christian heart above all else.  She had a true talent for loving everyone and everything, especially those who seemed to need love the most. Her modesty, intelligence, thoughtfulness, hospitality and compassion endeared her to all.

Visitation will be at Tulip Grove Baptist Church, Old Hickory, Tennessee on Monday July 31, 10:00AM-12:00PM and 1:00PM-2:00PM, services will follow at 2:30PM.  A graveside service will be conducted at Mill Springs National Cemetery, Nancy, Kentucky on Tuesday, August 1, at 10:00AM.

In lieu of flowers the family requests Gideon Memorial Bibles honoring Blaine’s lifetime of Christian service.

...Family in the care of Erin Arteaga, Funeral Director

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