ToquiNotes: When it Comes to Impact on Bridgeport's History, it is Hard to Pass One Man's Contributions
By Jeff Toquinto on August 21, 2021 from ToquiNotes via Connect-Bridgeport.com
I still remember my last two conversations with Ray Blake. It was at his office in the Blake Center, and it was, at least, four years ago.
The visit was by invitation, and it was the second one on the same subject over the last 10 years, that had brought me to his office before. I was there to talk to Ray about The Canteen.
Anyone my age, and I’m 53, or in the vicinity of that age, knew all about Clarksburg’s restaurant. By any measure, it was iconic and, to this day, missed by many. And it was Ray Blake who owned and operated it.
I bring this up, not as I usually do in a blog to talk about a past restaurant or something associated with it, because as many of you know. Ray Blake passed away August 8. I bring up The Canteen because so many that knew him associated that with his name.
Ray Blake liked that. He loved talking about The Canteen. In fact, the first time there I talked to him about The Canteen it lasted for more than an hour and the second one was nearly the same time frame.
Yet, to just refer to Ray Blake as a former restaurant owner would be unfair to the man. If you want to find someone who is as responsible for anyone that is one of the most progressive and one of the few growing cities in the state in Bridgeport, then you need to look no further than Ray Blake.
Former Bridgeport Community Development Director Randy Spellman, who started with the city in 1983, had many dealing with Blake. He had many conversations with him as well about the past and what he had planned for the future.
“You’re shortchanging him if The Canteen is all you think about when it comes to Ray Blake,” said Spellman. “He was responsible for about 450 homes in the city. He brought solid housing and residents by the hundreds to Bridgeport.”
Spellman said most of that development as part of Blake Construction stretched for several decades – from before he began with the city to well after he was established and teamed up with another developer, Warren Burnside, on many of those developments.
“They were, in my opinion, among the first developers of residential properties in North Central West Virginia and much of the state,” said Spellman. “He was actually continued by putting in streets up into I believe the early 2000s with Allison Avenue and Edwards Way, which were named after his grandchildren.
The key area in questions is the area from Woodside Heights through Meadowview and Meadow Village. Spellman said that area is now consisting of Ridgeway Drive and Millbrook.
Heck, even calling him a restaurant owner and a developer is selling him short. Ray Blake was fiercely proud of one thing beyond his 
family – and that was his military service.
family – and that was his military service.
During World War II, Blake, who was a major, served as a fighter pilot instructor in the U.S. Army Air Corps for three years. That was followed by 19 years in the U.S. Army Reserves. His service was featured in a documentary called “Field of Valor” and he actually has a bronze statue of his likeness at Corsicana Field Aviation Heritage Foundation in Texas.
He was also a farmer and Spellman said Blake was still working on Joyland Farms well into his 90s. He was also a 50-plus year member of the Bridgeport United Methodist Church who, after his wife Joy passed, had a parking lot dedicated and built in her honor at the church.
“He wore so many hats, and did a lot of the church, but the main thing with Ray Blake was that he was a good person who wasn’t afraid to work,” said Spellman. “He was from the school where he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty and you got up in the morning and your worked hard well into the night and didn’t mind it a bit.”
I can vouch for the “getting his hands dirty” part. For nearly a decade, I worked in a building Blake Plaza on Johnson Avenue. My office was a 30 second walk from his, and if there was ever a problem I could just run up and tell him.
I remember an issue with the front door and an issue with the toilet. Instead of calling someone, here came Ray. He was able to fix the toilet and did his best to get the door fixed before either calling one of his own workers or bringing someone in from the outside to get it done.
To this day, I still can see him assuring me – almost apologetically – about the door. He wanted it fixed right then and could not get it done. There was no need to apologize. It was fixed within a few hours because that was how he got things done.
For all his accomplishments, and there were many, I still see him as the kind man just up the plaza, with the smile that was ready for conversation. At the same time, like Spellman, I know what he meant to this city and beyond.
“He was a force in economic development right until the last few years, but his impact was still there and will continue to be there. You talk about the history of Bridgeport you should mention Ray Blake. He was one of the pioneers,” Spellman ended.
A pioneer indeed.
Rest in Peace Ray. Your work here is complete.
