BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Sheralyn Blake-Jenkins describes her father as a trailblazer, a motivator, and a leader.
Ninety-one-year-old Richard “Dick” Blake passed away yesterday with his family by his side. Blake was a member of the Rockledge City Council for more than 40 years and remains the longest-serving councilman in the city’s history.
He was also the first African American principal in Brevard Public Schools following desegregation. He served as principal of Cocoa High School for 23 years. He’s also the father of the current Mayor of Cocoa, Mike Blake.
Blake-Jenkins said of her father, “He didn’t live a grandiose life, I believe he was like in the poem, if you could walk among kings and still keep the common touch, you are a man. And I think that’s attributed to my father. He was a man, and you know, you always wanted to find out what is the real deal or the heart of a man, ask his children.” Richard Blake’s niece told us,
“I think for me, he summed it up, and in the last week or so, he said that his gift was making people feel special. Because when you make people feel special, they give you their best.”
There will be a viewing for Blake on June 12, 2025, at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Cocoa, FL, from 1-5 pm. Services are scheduled for Friday, June 13, 2025, at 9am.
The location is Richard “Dick” Blake Stadium at Cocoa High School.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
