Shane D. Blair

Funeral services for Shane Blair will be held Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 10:30am at Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck. Visitation will be Wednesday, February 19, 2025, from 4-7pm with a prayer service and time of sharing beginning at 7pm at Fron Lutheran Church. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday. Burial will take place at Lake Ann Cemetery, Glenwood, Minnesota. 

Shane David Blair was born in Alexandria, Minnesota on September 4, 1978, the second son to Gary and Lynn (Vilina) Blair and was raised in Lowry, Minnesota. He graduated from Minnewaska Area High School in 1997 while also completing his 1st year of Carpentry through Alexandria Technical College’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Program. With his Carpentry degree in hand, Shane worked for his uncle at Volkmann Construction for a short time before starting his own company, Gateway Construction & Concrete, in 2001. 

Shane met Jessica Kleven in 1999 after the pair was “set up” by family. They were married on August 18, 2000, at Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck where they made their home, welcoming four children: Morgan, Parker, Owen and Dawson. In 2009, they moved to their farm in Blue Mounds Township. In 2019, the family opened their hearts and welcomed two more children through adoption, Emmy and Carson. Shane’s faith and time spent with family was the most important to him. 

Shane was passionate about building and would master every new undertaking he attempted. He would lovingly complete each task on Jessica’s ‘to-do’ list and regularly helped her add to their collection of farm animals. Over the years, Shane loved many outdoor activities including boating, pulling kids on tubes, barefoot skiing, snowmobiling, and his most recent obsession, dirt biking. He also enjoyed taking his family camping, fishing, and hunting. 

Shane’s journey with stage IV pancreatic cancer came with immense challenges which he faced with dignity, grace, and unwavering faith. He knew it was not his battle but God’s and trusted Him fully. Shane died peacefully with his wife at his side on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood at the age of 46. 

Shane is survived by his wife, Jessica Blair of Starbuck; his children: Morgan (Dustin) Kaufman of Starbuck, Parker (Shiloh) of Morris, Owen Blair, Dawson Blair, Emmy Blair and Carson Blair, all of Starbuck; his father, Gary Blair of Sheldon, IA; his brothers: Michael (Jodi) Blair of Lowry, and Jeffery (Shealyn) Blair of Wauconda, IL; his grandmother, Bernadine Vilina of Villard; mother-in-law, Val (Don) Hector of Morris; father-in-law, Darrel Kleven of Starbuck; sister-in-law, Korie (Rich) Anderson of Starbuck; brother-in-law, Joe Hector of Morris; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Shane is preceded in death by his mother, Lynn Blair Hedstrom; and his grandparents: Dale and Donna Blair, and Charles Vilina; and his cousin Joey Ferguson. 

Starbuck Funeral Home in Starbuck is in care of arrangements for Shane.