A Global Partners missionary has lost her 6 ½ year battle with cancer.
Crystal Blake passed away June 10, 2016. She was 42. Crystal and her husband, Matt, have been serving in Brno, Czech Republic, for 13 years as missionaries with Global Partners, the missions arm of The Wesleyan Church.
Crystal was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 at age 35. After intense chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, she was declared cancer-free. But the cancer had metastasized and returned, first in her hip and then the liver.
She is remembered for her astonishing joy, sense of humor, and hope that she continued to display in her CaringBridge and Facebook posts, as well as her personal interactions with people. No matter her level of pain, Crystal continued to proclaim God’s goodness and faithfulness in her life.
She is survived by her husband, Matthew Blake; two sons, Joshua and Jakob, and one daughter, Abigail; her parents, Paul and Wandaruth Bailey; two brothers, Brian (Julie) Bailey and Keith Allen (Jennifer) Bailey, and one sister, Sarah (Joshua) Palmer; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life service will be held Friday, June 17, at 10:00 a.m., at Trinity Bible Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visitation will be 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home and one hour before services at the church on Friday. Read her full obituary.
Dennis Jackson, executive director of Global Partners, shared a brief video update that celebrates Crystal’s life.
Visit Wesleyan.Life to read about Crystal’s cancer journey, in her own words. Crystal’s story was featured in Wesleyan Life, summer 2014, issue.
