Durby, Blanche Lillian (1935-2018)

DURBY, STENERSEN, HANNA, SLEPER, SHARP, ZROSTLIK, BERENDS, ETHEREDGE, POTTER, HAUAN

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 10/12/2018 at 09:37:23

Blanche Lillian Durby
September 26, 1935 - August 31, 2018

Blanche L. Durby, age 82, of rural Leland, Iowa, passed away on Friday, August 31, 2018, at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood, Iowa.

One of twelve children, Blanche Lillian (Stenersen) Durby was born near Woden, Iowa, on September 26, 1935, to Sander and Nettie (Hanna) Stenersen. Her siblings included Eddie, Norman, Pearl, Robert, Vera, Palmer, Inez, Maynard, Alice, Eugene, and Sharon. Blanche graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1954. While working at the Maid-Rite in Lake Mills, she met the love of her life, Merle Durby. They married on December 19, 1954, at the West Prairie Lutheran Church near Leland, Iowa. They raised five children and celebrated 63 years of marriage. After their wedding, Blanche became an active member of the West Prairie Lutheran Church. She enjoyed the Couples Club, the Ladies Aid, and Circle, and she served as the Sunday School Treasurer for many years. In addition, she joined the American Legion Auxiliary in Kiester, Minnesota, and she excelled in her career as a farm housewife and mother.

Blanche enjoyed golfing, playing cards, walking with her neighbor, and traveling, especially to California, Arizona, and Laughlin, Nevada. She, always, assigned a high priority to the birthday club events on her social calendar. For twenty-seven years, they spent their summers at their Beaver Lake cabin in rural Ellendale, Minnesota, where many enjoyed their annual lake party. Blanche, simply, loved spending time with and entertaining her family and friends. Indeed, she cherished every moment she shared with her eight grandchildren. In January of 2011, Blanche moved to the Lutheran Retirement Home in Northwood. She and Merle won the hearts of many of the staff at LRH, as they, frequently, held hands. Blanche and her family felt blessed and thankful for the staff who took very good, compassionate care of her. She, almost always, had a smile for them and for Merle during his frequent visits.

Blanche is survived by her husband, Merle; five of her six children, Maureen (John) Sleper, of Titonka, Linda (Michael) Sharp, of Mitchellville, Terrell (Lisa), of Leland, Darla Zrostlik, of Long Grove, and Shari (Chris) Berends, of Roland; eight grandchildren: Grant Berends, Mallory (Joseph) Christopher, Joran (Jordan) Colby, Ty Durby, Jennifer (Jacob) Etheredge, Sydney (Joshua) Holmes, and Christopher and Jonathan Zrostlik; five great-grandchildren: August Christopher and Anna, John, Lena, and Lily Etheredge; two brothers, Maynard and Eugene Stenersen; and two sisters, Alice Potter and Sharon Hauan.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, September 8, 2018, at the West Prairie Lutheran Church, 40041 150th Avenue, Leland, Iowa 50453, with Pastor Steve Bang officiating. A memorial visitation is scheduled for 4:00 to 7:00 PM, Friday evening, September 7, 2018, at the Mittelstadt Funeral Home, 902 East Main Street, Lake Mills, Iowa 50450. Inurnment will follow at the West Prairie Cemetery in rural Leland, Iowa. Please direct memorials to the West Prairie Cemetery Fund or the Lutheran Retirement Home.

Mittelstadt Funeral Home, Lake Mills, Iowa, 2018.

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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