Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ellis Blake, U.S. Army (Ret.) was born February 10, 1936, in Peoria, Illinois, to Colonel Ellis Dillon “Luke” Blake and Gladys Lyle Blake. The son of a career Army officer, Bob grew up at several duty stations including Ft. Lewis, Washington; Kyoto, Japan; Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas; and Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio in 1954 and from Texas A&M University in 1958 as a Distinguished Military Graduate, where he was a member of the Fish Drill Team and the Ross Volunteers. He was commissioned as a field artillery second lieutenant and served in that branch throughout his career.

Bob’s assignments included service with the 3rd Armored Division in Gelnhausen, Germany, and command of an artillery battery in the 1st Armored Division at Ft. Hood, Texas. He served two combat tours in Vietnam—first as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Army (1962–1963), and later as executive officer of a field artillery battalion with the 1st Cavalry Division (1969–1970).

Selected as a Foreign Area Officer specializing in Latin America, Bob earned a master’s degree in Latin American studies from Louisiana State University and completed advanced Spanish training at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, graduating with highest honors. His later assignments included service with U.S. Southern Command in Panama, the Department of Defense in the Pentagon, and Readiness Group Los Angeles training National Guard and Reserve units. He concluded his distinguished career as an intelligence officer on the Department of the Army staff.

Bob remained closely connected to the Overseas Brats community throughout his life and was a regular at the Bartlett Barbecues in San Antonio—informal gatherings of local Overseas Brats—where he especially enjoyed reconnecting, sharing stories, and celebrating their shared overseas experiences. He passed away July 5, 2025, at age 89.

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