Brian Douglas Blake

On Thursday, February 2, 2023, Brian Douglas Blake joined his mother and father with God’s army of angels in heaven at the young age of 56. He was born on June 19, 1966, in Quincy, WA., the only son of Donald and Caroline Blake. Brian had many occupational interests and talents throughout his life, but most focused on communications. He was recently employed by the National Laboratories Office of the Texas A&M University System as its Assistant Director – Communications and Marketing. Brian also held his Real Estate License with REAL.

Brian moved to the Bryan/College Station area in 1991, and in his own words, he “absolutely fell in love with the area,” and the area fell in love with him! From a very young age, Brian’s parents instilled in him a commitment to serving others. He carried that lesson into everything he did for his family, friends, and community, reinforcing the idea that no life is complete without service to others. Brian was extremely active in Friends Congregational Church and volunteered for and served on the boards of several non-profit organizations throughout the Brazos Valley.

Brian was passionate about the more beautiful things in life and would always be spotted taking photos wherever he could. From space shuttles to sunsets and from people to pets, Brian had an eye for capturing everyday beauty. He also had compassion for everyone he knew; as busy as he was with work, real estate, church, or volunteering, he always made you feel as though you were the most important part of his life at that moment. When you saw Brian coming towards you with the impending bear hug, you knew you were all that mattered in that moment. He had a special smile that would cut through any bad day and spread sunshine through any ominous cloud.

In 2004, Brian met the love of his life, Chris Gibson. Throughout their almost 19 years of marriage, they traveled extensively. Their marriage was like a continuous journey – with no particular destination or timeline – but the opportunity to go from place to place to see what was in between. In addition to his love for travel, Brian enjoyed anything and everything space-related – NASA, Star Wars, and Star Trek. Brian was truly a free spirit, and his unique charisma could lighten any situation. His laugh was uplifting, and his smile was contagious.

Brian was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Caroline Blake, and his and Chris’s dog, Sassy. He is survived by his husband, Chris, pets Chewie and Boo, along with numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and a large family he chose to be in his life.

Visitation is scheduled for Friday, February 10, 2023, at Callaway-Jones, Bryan, Texas. Private visitation for the family will be from 3:00 – 4:00 pm and open to all others from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. A Celebration of Life has been scheduled for Saturday, March 25, at 1:00 PM at Friends Congregational Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made towards establishing a memorial fund in Brian’s honor through Friends Congregational Church or towards one of the church’s missions that were dear to Brian’s heart. Please follow the link below for online donations; for those who would prefer to give via check, please enter “Brian Blake Memorial” in the memo line. https://www.churchofficegiving.com/App/Giving/friendsucc

A playlist has been made of songs that will remind you of Brian https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/6XWXQNIIceduN1yN1U0oP7?utm_source=generator

Friendship is a connection that does not weaken in death but instead grows stronger for those who remember. We will all remember.