Fanny Blankenship

Fanny Adelaide Blankenship, 90, of Cuba, passed away Sunday, November 6, 2011, at her home. Fanny was born April 14, 1921, at Vichy, to the union of the late Noah and Lillias Branson. Fanny was united in marriage in Harding, Arkansas on August 6, 1940, to Clarence O. Blankenship of Dixon, Mo. He preceded her in death on May 17, 1992. Fanny graduated from Vienna High School. She was a past member of the Friendly Neighbor Dance Club. Fanny and her husband spent many happy hours at the Senior Center in Vienna, where she did volunteering and helped to make the center grow. She was a member of Vienna Church of Christ. Fanny worked as a machinist with the Brown Shoe Co. in Hannibal and Union, Mo. She retired from the Kellwood Company in New Haven, Mo. and returned to her hometown of Vienna, Mo. Of all her jobs, Fanny was most proud of working in the ammunition factory in St. Louis, Mo. during the war. Fanny was an avid gardener. She had a green thumb and raised huge vegetable and flower gardens. She canned hundreds of jars of produce and always shared her bounty. This trait is still carried on by several of her daughters and grandchildren. Fanny considered her greatest joy in life was raising her large family and spent many happy times with them. She is survived by four daughters, Aloha (Bill-dec) Gerbes, Brazito, Mo. Alice (DJ) Shockley, Cuba, Mo., Dinah (Jim) Cooper, Jefferson City, Mo. and Joyce (Dalton) Eickerman of Hermann, Mo.; four sons, Ike (Betty) Blankenship of Holts Summit, Mike (Carol) Blankenship of Macon, Georgia, Clarence Jr. (Patty) Blankenship of Hermann, Mo. and David (Donna) Blankenship of Owensville, Mo.; three sisters, Victoria Bolton, Jefferson City, Virginia Mulinex, Macon, Mo., Isola Carlson, Galveston, Texas; 23 grandchildren, Jenni (Kevin) Lang, Scotty (Theresa) Gerbes, Robert-Mark Roush, Jerry (Cindy) Roush, Phillip (Charity) Green, Susan and Beth Callison, Donna Jean Potterbaum, Rick (Lisa) Hoffman, Becky (Scott) Cooper, Christine Blankenship, David Jr. (Stephanie) Blankenship, Angel Blankenship, Kelly (Brad) Maune, Kurt (Monica) Blankenship, Jason (Krystal) Blankenship, Melissa, Terry Lynn, Michelle Bryan, Matthew Blankenship; 40 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two daughters, Lillian Annette Blankenship and Sharon-Bobby Ward; two sons-in-law, Bill Gerbes and Ray Ward; two brothers, Ralph Branson and Milburn Branson who where both killed in World War II. Friends will be received from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, Wednesday, November 9, 2011, in the Vienna Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes. Funeral services will be held at 12 noon on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Visitation Cemetery, Vienna, Mo. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be offered to a Hospice of their choice or to the Alzheimer's Association. Online condolences may be emailed to [email protected].