Mrs. MAURICE (Jeanne Ann Hancock) BLOCKER 1924-2007

QUILLIN, HANCOCK, BLOCKER, SCHULTE, BURKE

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 12/23/2007 at 15:04:27

Jeanne Blocker

Jeanne A. Blocker, age 83, of Waukon passed away Saturday, November 17, 2007 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon after a short illness. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 21 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Joseph Schneider officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, Waukon.

Friends may call Tuesday, November 20 from 4-7 p.m. at St. Patrick Church Hall in Waukon, with a Scripture Service at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Patrick School in Waukon would be appreciated. Hanson Funeral Home of Waukon assisted the family with arrangements.

Jeanne Ann (Hancock) Blocker was born February 13, 1924 to Fred and Nellie (Quillin) Hancock on her family's farm southeast of Lycurgus. She received the sacrament of baptism at St. Mary's Catholic Church - Lycurgus. The youngest of five children, she grew up on the family farm.

Jeanne attended rural schools and graduated from Waukon High School in 1941. She attained her teaching certificate at the age of 17. However, regulations at the time required the age of 18 to teach. Her first teaching position was at the Pea Ridge School across from the McCormick farm in Hanover from 1942 to 1944. Her second teaching job was at the Paint Creek #1 East School located by the twin churches near Elon.

Jeanne met Maurice Blocker at the Dreamland Ballroom in New Albin while roller skating in 1941. Maurice had a Model A and asked to give Jeanne a ride home that evening. Dad always recalled that the weather was warm outside. Shortly after their meeting, Maurice shipped out to the Pacific for duty in the Navy. Jeanne continued her teaching during the war years.

Jeanne and Maurice were married November 28, 1945 in Lansing at Immaculate Conception Church. It snowed heavily that day, and they often spoke of how slippery the roads were on the way to church. To this union were born four sons. Together, Jeanne and Maurice (and later along with their sons) built Blocker Milling Service into a successful business serving family farms throughout northeast Iowa. They sold their business and retired in 1985.

Jeanne always took great pride in her Irish heritage and skills as a homemaker and cook. She was known quite well for her deserts - her creme de menthe and chocolate pies were always favorites at the holidays. She treasured time spent visiting with family and friends, and there was always a full cookie jar next to the coffee pot in the kitchen. Sunday mornings for coffee at Grandma's were a weekly tradition. In her free time she enjoyed shouting out "BINGO" and getting a loner hand at Euchre.

Jeanne volunteered her time to many organizations and was a member of the VFW Auxiliary, Hospital Auxiliary, Little Flower Study Club, Rosary Society, and the Red Hat Ladies. Jeanne was also a member of the St. Patrick's Bingo committee which raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years for St. Patrick's Elementary School.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Bill and Vince Hancock; two sisters, Rose Catherine Schulte and Rita Burke; her husband, Maurice; and her son, Richard. She is survived by three sons, Dennis (Marlene), Donald (Dawn Rae), and David (Anne); and her daughter in-law, Dawn, all of Waukon; as well as 12 grandchildren, Stephanie (Mike) Riggert of Algona, Mike Blocker of Waukon, Andrea Blocker of Kunson Air Force Base, Korea, Sarah Blocker of Waukon, Matt (Jennifer) Blocker of Caledonia, MN, Denise (Scott) Schmidt of Holmen, WI, Marie (Brian) Burington of Waukon, Allison (Matt) Kouba of Reedsburg, WI, Ashley Blocker of Madison, WI, and Katie, Marty and Grace Blocker of Waukon; and seven great-grandchildren.

The Waukon Standard, November 28, 2007