Hundreds attend funeral of former Merced County undersheriff Bill Blake

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hundreds of people showed up Friday morning for the funeral of former Merced County undersheriff, Bill Blake.

Blake spent nearly four decades with the department before retiring in 2009. He went on to serve two terms as a Merced City Council member. Retired sheriff Mark Pazin was new to the sheriff's position when he worked with Blake.

He says Blake was part of the glue that helped hold the sheriff's department together during a time of change. "He brought people together," Pazin said. "He had a certain vision together, we were just a very good team that got us through some difficult times but also we had some really wonderful times."

Blake died earlier this month at the age of 65 following an illness.