On Friday evening, November 30, 2018, following a well-lived life, Olive Pauline Blankenship left this earthly place.
The daughter of William Edward and Anna Florence Dewitt Little, she was born in Rowan County Kentucky Aug. 6, 1938. She lived many places during the first sixteen years of life, and in addition to Hagerstown where she had resided for over 60 years; she considered both Morehead Kentucky and Seaman, Ohio, “home”.
She married the love of her life, John Frank Blankenship on June 8, 1955. The couple made Wayne County, Indiana their home and enjoyed 61 years of marriage before John’s passing in 2016.
Pauline was a member of The First Southern Baptist Church in Hagerstown and was baptized in 1964.
She was an avid bowler when the Tiger Bowl was opened. She studied upholstery and cake decorating and included those in her many accomplishments. She is remembered by many as one of the finest bakers of bread, rolls and cinnamon bread at Guy Welliver’s Smorgasbord and as a clerk at Renaker’s 5 & 10 Store. She enjoyed her work in retail at Murphy’s Mart and JoAnn Fabrics in New Castle.
Pauline was a wife, a mommy, a homemaker, a daughter, sister and friend to many. Her smile lit up the room and her hugs were beyond compare. She worked in retail for many years and enjoyed crafting; having made many quilts through the years and was especially fond of doll making and an embroidered quilt of all fifty states she made for her love, John to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary. She spent several years as caregiver to her husband, John.
Pauline loved to garden both vegetables and flowers, canning and preserving food for her family. She loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing, especially once the couple moved to “the farm” from town many years ago. She babysat for many children throughout the years and while the couple had four biological children, many, many others were loved and nurtured by Mammy, as she will always be known by her grandchildren. Her love and influence will live on.
Besides her husband and her parents, Pauline was predeceased by stepmother, Edna Little, two sisters, Lula Estle and Bonnie Little, her in-laws, Jesse and Katherine Blankenship, nephews Carl Little, Kenny Conner Jeff McIntire and Brian Wylie, brother in laws, Gilbert McIntire, William Hamm, Norman Robertson and Hobart Crouch, sister in law, Mary Sue Robertson, her daughter Lois Collins, and four grandchildren, Mark Aaron Richardson, Kellie Marie, Shawn David and Troy Alan Collins.
Left to cherish her memory are children, Tina and Mark Richardson, John and Mona Blankenship, Rena and Randy Holcomb, son in law, David Collins and fourteen grandchildren, John Carter, Robyn, Torri, John, Abigail, Elizabeth, Adrienne, Zach, Tiffany, Sheila, Wayne, Will, Jesse and Luke. Pauline loved and enjoyed thirty-three great-grandchildren.
Her sisters, Lena McIntire, Doris and Ralph Bailey, Brenda and Dallas Watkins, Beverly and Ken Moore and her brothers, Bill and Vira Wylie, Ernie and Konna Dewitt and Danny and Becky Little, Betty Crouch, Barbara and James Cecil Little, Beulah and Wayne Conner and Sally Robertson, Susan Hamm and brother in law, Robert Robertson.
Numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews including special nieces, Vicky Manship, Cindy Webb, Penny Scott, Kim Robertson, Joyce Hawkins, Anita Hanover, Heather Collins, Stephanie Clark, and Rebecca Kelly and special nephews, Eric, Clint and Nate McIntire, Jimmie and Chad Jackson, Lee Robertson, Michael Bailey and Tony Wylie.
Visitation will be 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wed., Dec 5, at Culberson Funeral Home. Services will follow at 1:00 p.m. John D. Blankenship will officiate. Burial will be in West Lawn Cemetery. Following the graveside service, family and friends will gather at 500 West (formerly the Union Hall) for a meal and memory sharing.