Lost a good OA member

[Smithvillesteve]

I was on my way down to Table Rock yesterday morning. Just outside of Joplin I got a call that they found my buddy Keith Blais dead on his porch. His place was up the White river. His handle on here was KBilb. He won our annual OA tournament twice. He was a heckuva good guy and a really good fisherman. He really loved his place down at Table Rock and maybe there is some solace that he passed at the place he loved. He didnt post on here much but he read all the posts on here. If there is a lake in heaven, and i sure hope there is, he is casting that Rock Crawler all day!! 

[Quillback]

Very sorry to hear that. I have spoken to him several times at the OA tournament and always enjoyed my conversations with him.  

[cheesemaster]

Man that’s bad news for sure. Like Quillback - I had talked with him a few times at the OA tournaments and it was always pleasant.  Prayers for the friends and family.

[Quillback]

Have a pic from a past OA event, a good fisherman and a good man.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Doesn’t look very old.  May god bless his soul.  

[BilletHead]

            God speed Keith! 

[rps]

The randomness of life astonishes me. He was a good man and fun to be around.

[Flysmallie]

2 hours ago, rps said:

The randomness of life astonishes me. 

Agreed. Two weeks ago we had to tell our 17 year old daughter that one of her best friends had died in a car accident. That one is still screwing with my head. 

[rps]

I intend this to be full of respect and love for Kbilb and his family.

A very few years ago, Betsy found my friend, Randall, dead on the steps down to their garage. That must have been horrific. It was tragic. Randall was in his 50's. At their wedding reception, I cleaned and cut the calf fries. He and my fellow rugby players were close.

When I thought about things later, I thought about my mother who died after months of hospice care in her own home for liver cancer. I thought about my father, who died after years in an assisted living facility for those afflicted with Alzheimer disease. 

There are worse ways to go than to be found gone.

I hope their family, one day, appreciates how lucky he was.

I hope, one day not too soon, to go that quickly, and spare my wife the long and drawn out ugly.

I pray his family looks to the good over the bad, and thanks their gods for their blessing.

I say his name once more so he will not be forgotten.

[m&m]

This is such a shock. We are praying for his family and will certainly miss him at the OA tournament. 
 

Mike