Sunday's Obituary - Donald Blessing

The Daily Californian

News in Brief: UC Hall of Famer, Olympian Dies Friday, July 7, 2000
Don Blessing, Olympic Gold Medalist and UC Hall of Fame member, died Tuesday. He was 94. After leading an undefeated UC Berkeley crew team as coxswain, Blessing won a gold medal for the U.S. in the 1928 Olympics, according to his grandson, Warren Fallat.

"Cal was the only university that has had three Olympic champions (for crew)," Fallat said. "(Blessing) was good friends with all the Cal coaches."

He said Blessing was one of the eight original owners of the Oakland Raiders football team and was inducted into the National Rowers' Hall of Fame in 1967. Blessing was also a founding member of the San Francisco Grid Club, which raised money for UC Berkeley's football program.

"He was an avid sportsman," Fallat said. "It was my grandfather who showed up at all my football games. He took me hunting and fishing. He was one hell of a fisherman."

Avril Fallat, Blessing's granddaughter-in-law, said Blessing also had a knack for making people feel good.

"He really was the most energetic man, even at his advanced age," she said. "And he was ferociously loyal to Cal."

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday in the Travers Big Game Room in the Memorial Stadium.

[Source:   http://www.dailycal.org/article/2780/news_in_brief_uc_hall_of_famer_olympian_dies] 

Don Blessing 2nd from left
Other names:  Ray Anderson, Pete Donlon, Dean Witter, Jim Lemmon
[Source:  Warren Fallat]