Ross Blakely; Former Head of Coast Bank

Ross Marquand Blakely, civic leader and former head of Coast Federal Savings and Loan, has died. He was 79.

Blakely died Saturday in his home in San Marino of cancer.

He spent his entire career with Coast, which is now known as Coast Federal Bank, rising from management trainee in 1946 to president and chief executive in 1951. He was named chairman of the board in 1972 and served until his retirement in 1987.

A leader nationally in the savings and loan industry, Blakely was president of the National Savings and Loan League, a director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, and Los Angeles director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Well known in the business community of Southern California, Blakely was chairman of the Merchant and Manufacturers Assn. and a director of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Automobile Assn. of Southern California.

He was also active in civic endeavors. Blakely served as president of the Los Angeles Lions Club, chairman of the San Gabriel Valley Boy Scouts of America and chairman of the Bill of Rights Commemoration Committee. He was also a director of the Children’s Bureau and trustee of the California Museum Foundation and the UCLA Foundation.

Blakely earned several awards in recognition of his professional and civic achievements, including the professional achievement award from the UCLA Alumni Assn., the distinguished citizen award from the Boy Scouts of America and the distinguished citizen award from the Anti-Defamation League.

Born in Hayes, Kan., Blakely moved to California with his family when he was a child. He grew up in Colton and attended UCLA.

He served in the Navy during World War II, participating in the campaigns of Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and earning the rank of lieutenant commander. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War.

Blakely is survived by his wife of 52 years, Betty Weymark Blakely, whom he met in Australia during World War II. He is also survived by their three daughters, Sandra, Heather and Cindy; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.