Melisse Blanshan (1875-1946)

BLANSHAN

Posted By: Debra Scott Hierlmeier (email)
Date: 12/8/2008 at 20:35:23

Mrs. Melisse Thompson Blanshan 1857-1946

Melisse Thompson Blanshan, oldest child of Andrew and Hannah Thompson, was born in Adair county near the site of where Casey now stands on December 28, 1857 and died at the home of her niece and nephew, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Raper, January 8, 1946, age 88 years, and 10 days.

Mrs. Blanshan grew to womanhood in the Casey neighborhood and in the fall of 1876 she was united in marriage to John Blanshan. They made their home in Stuart for a short time, later moving to Avoca where they established their home and where she continue to live until the last two years, when spent most of the time with her sister, Mrs. Sadie Walters at Casey. Mr. Blanshan died in June of 1917.

Mr. and Mrs. Blanshan had no children of their own so they took into their home a little girl of seven years, who took their name and lived with them until she married and had a little daughter of her own, Ruth Paulson, whom they reared to womanhood. Her children were as dear to Mrs. Blanshan’s heart as her own grandchildren could have been.

Mrs. Blanshan was a member of the Eastern Star chapter 319 of Avoca and was the oldest living member of the congregational church of Avoca. She united with that church in 1878, just four years after the church was built. She was a kindly woman interested in all that transpired during her life time. She loved her church and maintained an active interest in it, carrying her share of responsibility for is activities as long as health permitted.

She leaves to miss her, one brother and four sisters: Lee Thompson of Los Angeles, California; Mrs. Sadie Walters and Mrs. Neal Jefferson of Casey; Mrs. Lile Earl of Hay Spring, Nebraska; Mrs. Maude Beardsley of Omaha, Nebraska.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Waltman and children, nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Funeral services were held at the Evans funeral Home, Thursday afternoon conducted by the Rev. Alta M. Nichols and interment made in Oakwood cemetery. Music was furnished by a quartette: Mrs. Golda Griffith, Mrs. Marie Joint, Mrs. Lila Gay Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Juanita Smith, who sang “Some Day We’ll Understand” and “There Will be no Night There.”

Casket bearers were: Erne Lewis, Nick Ludwig, Earl Wiliams, Vernon Joint, John Bosold, and Q.M. Colbert.

From the Scrapbooks of Bessie Gross Gustafsen
Source: The Casey Vindicator