Merle R. Blair, 80, of Topeka, entered into Eternal Life on September 4, 2016 at Stormont Vail Hospital.

He was born on November 21, 1935 in Neodesha, KS, the son of Isaac N. and Bernice P. (Roberts) Blair.

Merle was a 1955 graduate of Independence Kansas Community College where he played basketball and football for former Washburn Little All American, Walter "Kayo" Emmot. He arrived on the Washburn campus in the fall of 1955 on an athletic scholarship for football and basketball.

Merle was a 1957 graduate of Washburn University, where he earned a BA in English and was a letterman in basketball and football at both schools.

He began his broadcasting career at KIND radio in Independence and was employed by KTOP as an announcer while a student at Washburn University. Merle served as Program Director, Sales Manager and General Manager of KTOP/V-100 FM from 1964 to 1983. He was also KTOP Radio’s “Voice of Washburn University Football and Basketball” from 1967 to 1981.

For his broadcasting achievements Merle was inducted into the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and received the KAB Distinguished Service Award. He was also inducted into the Washburn University Athletic Hall of Fame and was a recipient of the Washburn University Distinguished Service Award. Merle also served as Chairman of the Washburn University Board of Regents.

During his working life Merle served as President of: Sales and Marketing Executives of Topeka, the Phi Delta Theta Alumni Association, Cosmopolitan Club, Washburn Ichabod Club and the Washburn Alumni Association.

Merle's civic involvement included Board of Director service for the Boy Scouts of America, Topeka Public Schools Foundation, Sunflower Music Festival, Safe Streets and a Joint Investigative Review Committee for Stormont Vail and St. Francis Hospitals

He was honored with the "Silver Medal" as Topeka's Advertising Man of the Year, Phi Delta Theta Alumni Association Man of the Year and the 1988 Alumni of the Year from Independence Kansas Community College.

Upon leaving KTOP management in 1983, Merle became the CEO of The Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, retiring in 2001.

Throughout his career he continued to produce the “Merle Blair Sunday Show”, a Topeka tradition that started on January 5, 1964. This extremely popular show featured a variety of music, spanning eight decades of chart topping hits from the 30’s to present day. Due to the popularity of his Sunday show he added shows featuring the music of Perry Como, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

Family and friends meant everything to Merle and he greatly appreciated each and every one of you.

Merle married Carolyn Condron in September, 1959. She preceded him in death on March, 21, 2004.

In April of 2005 he married a longtime family friend, Jane’t Grant Lauterbach. She survives.

Other survivors include two sons; Brett Blair (Shanna) of Monroe, LA and Dan Blair of Wichita, KS; a daughter, Angela Blair of Prairie Village, KS; a step-son, Stephen Lauterbach, Jr. (Mai) of Chaska, MN; grandchildren Cole, Taylor, Trey, Brooke, Luke, Shane, Blake, Will, Grace, Gretchen, Joshua, and Mackenzie and two sisters, Cheryl Curnutte and Deborah Blair.

Merle was preceded in death by a brother, Larry Blair, a sister, Joyce Blair Gaddis and a step-son, John Grant Lauterbach.

A Rosary will be prayed beginning at 6:00 pm, Thursday, September 22, 2016 at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel, 1321 SW. 10th Ave., Topeka, KS 66604, where the family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:00 pm that evening.
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A Mass of Resurrection and celebration of the gift of Merle’s life will be at 11:00 am, Friday, September 23, 2016 at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 3601 SW. 17th St, Topeka, KS 66604, with inurnment to follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Washburn University Foundation, 1729 SW. MacVicar Ave., Topeka, KS 66604.

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