REED CITY — Dorothy Alma (Blank) Ahlich passed from this life into the arms of her savior, Jesus Christ, on Dec. 23, 2020, at age 96. She was the last living person in Reed City born with the last name of Blank, an old extended family which immigrated to Reed City in the 1870's.
She was born the youngest daughter to Albert and Alma (Gruett) Blank on June 14, 1924. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City with the given name of Dorothea Alma Hulda Blank. She would later anglicize her first name to Dorothy with the advent of WWII.
She was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She attended the Trinity Lutheran parochial school through the eighth grade and graduated from Reed City High School.
While a senior at the Reed City High School, she also worked as secretary to Principal Earl Messner and would transition later to work many years in the Superintendent's office as Secretary to the Reed City Board of Education under Godfrey Norman.
After the birth of her children, she returned briefly to serve as secretary for the Reed City Middle School under Principal Ervin Jones. She worked briefly for Nartron Corporation as an accountant and later in the Cost Accounting department of Olin Tubelite (Miller Industries) until her retirement.
She married Carl Frederick Ahlich of Kingsford, Michigan, on Aug. 15, 1952. They were blessed with two children, Bruce Albert (b. 1957), of Traverse City, and Debra Ruth Remus (b. 1960), of Reed City. She and Carl would assist with operating her parents' farm just north of Reed City on 220th Avenue (Patterson Road) until Carl's retirement and death.
Dorothy was quietly active in the life of the community. She was a founding member of the Reed City Chapter of the Business and Professional Women's (BPW), later to become the Reed City General Federation of Women's Club. She was an active volunteer in the organization and staffing of the Old Rugged Cross Museum.
Keenly interested in local politics, she and her older sister Arvilla would be found attending Richmond Township Board of Supervisors' meetings if there was a topic of concern. Eyebrows were raised when the "Blank girls" showed up that something was amiss. She was also a member of the former Gilbert Samis American Legion post auxiliary in Reed City.
Her husband Carl preceded her in death in March 2008; as well as her parents, Albert and Alma Blank; and sister, Arvilla Doris Hepner in December 2014. She is survived by her son, Bruce Albert, of Traverse City; and daughter, Debra Ruth, and son-in-law, Alan Remus, of Reed City.
The family requests that memorials be given either to Spectrum health Hospice, The Osceola County Community Foundation Old Rugged Cross Museum Fund, or directed to the Music House Museum in Acme, Michigan, or to Spectrum Health Hospice.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City. Burial and graveside services will follow at the Woodland Cemetery in Reed City. Visitation with the family will begin 10:00 a.m. until the start of services.
Published by Big Rapids Pioneer on Dec. 28, 2020.
She was born the youngest daughter to Albert and Alma (Gruett) Blank on June 14, 1924. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City with the given name of Dorothea Alma Hulda Blank. She would later anglicize her first name to Dorothy with the advent of WWII.
She was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She attended the Trinity Lutheran parochial school through the eighth grade and graduated from Reed City High School.
While a senior at the Reed City High School, she also worked as secretary to Principal Earl Messner and would transition later to work many years in the Superintendent's office as Secretary to the Reed City Board of Education under Godfrey Norman.
After the birth of her children, she returned briefly to serve as secretary for the Reed City Middle School under Principal Ervin Jones. She worked briefly for Nartron Corporation as an accountant and later in the Cost Accounting department of Olin Tubelite (Miller Industries) until her retirement.
She married Carl Frederick Ahlich of Kingsford, Michigan, on Aug. 15, 1952. They were blessed with two children, Bruce Albert (b. 1957), of Traverse City, and Debra Ruth Remus (b. 1960), of Reed City. She and Carl would assist with operating her parents' farm just north of Reed City on 220th Avenue (Patterson Road) until Carl's retirement and death.
Dorothy was quietly active in the life of the community. She was a founding member of the Reed City Chapter of the Business and Professional Women's (BPW), later to become the Reed City General Federation of Women's Club. She was an active volunteer in the organization and staffing of the Old Rugged Cross Museum.
Keenly interested in local politics, she and her older sister Arvilla would be found attending Richmond Township Board of Supervisors' meetings if there was a topic of concern. Eyebrows were raised when the "Blank girls" showed up that something was amiss. She was also a member of the former Gilbert Samis American Legion post auxiliary in Reed City.
Her husband Carl preceded her in death in March 2008; as well as her parents, Albert and Alma Blank; and sister, Arvilla Doris Hepner in December 2014. She is survived by her son, Bruce Albert, of Traverse City; and daughter, Debra Ruth, and son-in-law, Alan Remus, of Reed City.
The family requests that memorials be given either to Spectrum health Hospice, The Osceola County Community Foundation Old Rugged Cross Museum Fund, or directed to the Music House Museum in Acme, Michigan, or to Spectrum Health Hospice.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City. Burial and graveside services will follow at the Woodland Cemetery in Reed City. Visitation with the family will begin 10:00 a.m. until the start of services.
Published by Big Rapids Pioneer on Dec. 28, 2020.
REED CITY — Dorothy Alma (Blank) Ahlich passed from this life into the arms of her savior, Jesus Christ, on Dec. 23, 2020, at age 96. She was the last living person in Reed City born with the last name of Blank, an old extended family which immigrated to Reed City in the 1870's.
She was born the youngest daughter to Albert and Alma (Gruett) Blank on June 14, 1924. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City with the given name of Dorothea Alma Hulda Blank. She would later anglicize her first name to Dorothy with the advent of WWII.
She was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She attended the Trinity Lutheran parochial school through the eighth grade and graduated from Reed City High School.
While a senior at the Reed City High School, she also worked as secretary to Principal Earl Messner and would transition later to work many years in the Superintendent's office as Secretary to the Reed City Board of Education under Godfrey Norman.
After the birth of her children, she returned briefly to serve as secretary for the Reed City Middle School under Principal Ervin Jones. She worked briefly for Nartron Corporation as an accountant and later in the Cost Accounting department of Olin Tubelite (Miller Industries) until her retirement.
She married Carl Frederick Ahlich of Kingsford, Michigan, on Aug. 15, 1952. They were blessed with two children, Bruce Albert (b. 1957), of Traverse City, and Debra Ruth Remus (b. 1960), of Reed City. She and Carl would assist with operating her parents' farm just north of Reed City on 220th Avenue (Patterson Road) until Carl's retirement and death.
Dorothy was quietly active in the life of the community. She was a founding member of the Reed City Chapter of the Business and Professional Women's (BPW), later to become the Reed City General Federation of Women's Club. She was an active volunteer in the organization and staffing of the Old Rugged Cross Museum.
Keenly interested in local politics, she and her older sister Arvilla would be found attending Richmond Township Board of Supervisors' meetings if there was a topic of concern. Eyebrows were raised when the "Blank girls" showed up that something was amiss. She was also a member of the former Gilbert Samis American Legion post auxiliary in Reed City.
Her husband Carl preceded her in death in March 2008; as well as her parents, Albert and Alma Blank; and sister, Arvilla Doris Hepner in December 2014. She is survived by her son, Bruce Albert, of Traverse City; and daughter, Debra Ruth, and son-in-law, Alan Remus, of Reed City.
The family requests that memorials be given either to Spectrum health Hospice, The Osceola County Community Foundation Old Rugged Cross Museum Fund, or directed to the Music House Museum in Acme, Michigan, or to Spectrum Health Hospice.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City. Burial and graveside services will follow at the Woodland Cemetery in Reed City. Visitation with the family will begin 10:00 a.m. until the start of services.
Published by Big Rapids Pioneer on Dec. 28, 2020.
She was born the youngest daughter to Albert and Alma (Gruett) Blank on June 14, 1924. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City with the given name of Dorothea Alma Hulda Blank. She would later anglicize her first name to Dorothy with the advent of WWII.
She was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She attended the Trinity Lutheran parochial school through the eighth grade and graduated from Reed City High School.
While a senior at the Reed City High School, she also worked as secretary to Principal Earl Messner and would transition later to work many years in the Superintendent's office as Secretary to the Reed City Board of Education under Godfrey Norman.
After the birth of her children, she returned briefly to serve as secretary for the Reed City Middle School under Principal Ervin Jones. She worked briefly for Nartron Corporation as an accountant and later in the Cost Accounting department of Olin Tubelite (Miller Industries) until her retirement.
She married Carl Frederick Ahlich of Kingsford, Michigan, on Aug. 15, 1952. They were blessed with two children, Bruce Albert (b. 1957), of Traverse City, and Debra Ruth Remus (b. 1960), of Reed City. She and Carl would assist with operating her parents' farm just north of Reed City on 220th Avenue (Patterson Road) until Carl's retirement and death.
Dorothy was quietly active in the life of the community. She was a founding member of the Reed City Chapter of the Business and Professional Women's (BPW), later to become the Reed City General Federation of Women's Club. She was an active volunteer in the organization and staffing of the Old Rugged Cross Museum.
Keenly interested in local politics, she and her older sister Arvilla would be found attending Richmond Township Board of Supervisors' meetings if there was a topic of concern. Eyebrows were raised when the "Blank girls" showed up that something was amiss. She was also a member of the former Gilbert Samis American Legion post auxiliary in Reed City.
Her husband Carl preceded her in death in March 2008; as well as her parents, Albert and Alma Blank; and sister, Arvilla Doris Hepner in December 2014. She is survived by her son, Bruce Albert, of Traverse City; and daughter, Debra Ruth, and son-in-law, Alan Remus, of Reed City.
The family requests that memorials be given either to Spectrum health Hospice, The Osceola County Community Foundation Old Rugged Cross Museum Fund, or directed to the Music House Museum in Acme, Michigan, or to Spectrum Health Hospice.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Reed City. Burial and graveside services will follow at the Woodland Cemetery in Reed City. Visitation with the family will begin 10:00 a.m. until the start of services.
Published by Big Rapids Pioneer on Dec. 28, 2020.
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NEE BLANK
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