Blair Hazen Checketts passed away on August 15, 2004 in his home in Nampa, Idaho from the effects of Alzheimers at the age of 73.

He was born October 20, 1930 in Logan, Utah to Hazen Checketts of Providence, Utah and Phyllis Jones from Butte, Montana; he was their only child. Soon after his birth they moved to Hayward, California. Blair grew up as a member of the LDS church and attended the Hayward Ward with his parents. He graduated from Hayward High School in 1949.

In 1951 he joined the US Navy and served his country for four years during the Korean War as an electronics and radar technician on the USS Mt. McKinlay. After his discharge from the Navy he returned to Hayward and married the girl that lived next door, Lillian Patricia Starks, on October 12, 1955 in the Logan, Utah LDS Temple. They were blessed with three children: Lannie, Melinda and Timothy.

Blair’s first career was in the burgeoning high tech industry in Southern California. His jobs included teaching mathematics used in the programming of the computers and guidance systems used in Minuteman missiles. During this time Blair and his family lived in Garden Grove, California, and then moved to Corona, California in 1967.

After completing a bachelor of science degree at California State College in Fullerton, he began a life-long study of the law by attending Western State College of Law at night, while working as an engineer by day.

In 1970 he received his Juris Doctorate and began his second career as an attorney. His legal career included time as a Public Defender in Banning and Beaumont California and in private practice in Corona and Vista, California. In 1975 he moved to Merced, California where he served as Deputy County Counsel for the County of Merced until he retired in 1994 as Chief Deputy County Counsel.

His personal interests included backpacking, automobiles, photography and constantly learning. During his lifetime he logged hundreds of miles throughout the Sierra Nevadas, the Yosemite Backcountry, the High Uintas and the Wind River Range. To keep himself in shape he jogged daily, beginning in the 1960’s long before it was popular to do so, and continued past the age of 60.

Blair’s interest in and knowledge of automobiles, and how they worked, was practically legend among those who knew him. He was able to fix, rebuild, paint and re-upholster anything on wheels, and helped many people with his talent. His signature vehicle was a 1960 Chevrolet Suburban Carryall that he drove daily and kept in mint condition for over 30 years.

A voracious reader, he constantly challenged himself to learn new things and to increase his knowledge of the world around him. His range of interest included history, biography, geography, philosophy, photography and current events. Normally, he read several books each month and was a frequent visitor at public libraries and used bookstores.

After retiring from Merced County, Blair and Pat fulfilled their goal to return to his roots in Providence, Utah in 1994 where they lived until 2001. As a result of the Alzheimers disease, they moved to Nampa, Idaho to be close to their sons. During the final 15 months of his life Blair was a resident of the Beehive House, an assisted living facility.

Blair is survived by his wife Patricia Checketts, Lannie and Sandy Checketts of Nampa, Idaho, Timothy and Hilary Checketts of Orem, Utah and Melinda and Kerry Jepsen, currently living in Germany while in the US Air Force. Blair and Pat also have 12 grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, August 19, 2004 at the Providence LDS meetinghouse located at 100 North and 200 East. A viewing will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the church. Funeral services are under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary. Condolences may be sent to the family at MortuaryObits@yahoo.com.