Barbara B. Blakinger, 93, a devoted wife and mother who reveled in her ever-growing family, died January 8 after a brief illness at Willow Valley Communities in Willow Street.
The wife of Richard (Dick) J. Blakinger, she had been a Willow Valley resident 13 years and, before that, lived in Manheim Township for 54 years.
She attended Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and met her husband there. They were married August 24, 1944 in Casper, Wyoming while Dick was in the service.
Mrs. Blakinger, known for her personal warmth and gentle sense of humor, was an insatiable reader who always had a new novel on her bookshelf. She gave her time generously as a volunteer with such organizations as the Lancaster Library System and Meals-On-Wheels. She also loved theater, travel, playing bridge with friends, birding, and enjoying nature.
But above all else, she loved sharing time with her family that in later years came to include 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Born in Casper, Wyoming, she was the daughter of the late Clarence H. Bowman and Ada Estey Bowman. In addition to her husband of 73 years, she is survived by five children. They are Charles Bowman, of Lititz, married to Mary (Shirk); Dan Allan, of Lancaster, married to Cindy (Thomas); Betsy Em, of Wrightsville, wife of Joseph Rubadue; John Leo, of Bend, Oregon, married to Teresa (Bidlake); and Jean Marie, of West Chester, widow of Matthew Zizik.
Mrs. Blakinger is survived by 13 grandchildren. They are Kate, John Richard, Keri, Andrew, Krista, Maria, Jamie, Michael, Grace, Carly, Dane, Kyle and Valerie. She also has six great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Austin, Ellis, Dean, Evaline and Micah.
She was preceded in death by her brother, U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Charles H. Bowman; a son-in-law, Matthew Zizik, and a granddaughter, Julia Rubadue.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Blakinger will be celebrated at 11AM, Saturday, January 13, 2018, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 601 E. Delp Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601. Family and friends will be received for a time of greeting from 10AM to 11AM. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Water Street Ministries, 210 South Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17604, or the Lancaster Public Library, 125 North Duke Street, Lancaster PA 17602.
The wife of Richard (Dick) J. Blakinger, she had been a Willow Valley resident 13 years and, before that, lived in Manheim Township for 54 years.
She attended Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and met her husband there. They were married August 24, 1944 in Casper, Wyoming while Dick was in the service.
Mrs. Blakinger, known for her personal warmth and gentle sense of humor, was an insatiable reader who always had a new novel on her bookshelf. She gave her time generously as a volunteer with such organizations as the Lancaster Library System and Meals-On-Wheels. She also loved theater, travel, playing bridge with friends, birding, and enjoying nature.
But above all else, she loved sharing time with her family that in later years came to include 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Born in Casper, Wyoming, she was the daughter of the late Clarence H. Bowman and Ada Estey Bowman. In addition to her husband of 73 years, she is survived by five children. They are Charles Bowman, of Lititz, married to Mary (Shirk); Dan Allan, of Lancaster, married to Cindy (Thomas); Betsy Em, of Wrightsville, wife of Joseph Rubadue; John Leo, of Bend, Oregon, married to Teresa (Bidlake); and Jean Marie, of West Chester, widow of Matthew Zizik.
Mrs. Blakinger is survived by 13 grandchildren. They are Kate, John Richard, Keri, Andrew, Krista, Maria, Jamie, Michael, Grace, Carly, Dane, Kyle and Valerie. She also has six great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Austin, Ellis, Dean, Evaline and Micah.
She was preceded in death by her brother, U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Charles H. Bowman; a son-in-law, Matthew Zizik, and a granddaughter, Julia Rubadue.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Blakinger will be celebrated at 11AM, Saturday, January 13, 2018, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 601 E. Delp Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601. Family and friends will be received for a time of greeting from 10AM to 11AM. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Water Street Ministries, 210 South Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17604, or the Lancaster Public Library, 125 North Duke Street, Lancaster PA 17602.
Barbara B. Blakinger, 93, a devoted wife and mother who reveled in her ever-growing family, died January 8 after a brief illness at Willow Valley Communities in Willow Street.
The wife of Richard (Dick) J. Blakinger, she had been a Willow Valley resident 13 years and, before that, lived in Manheim Township for 54 years.
She attended Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and met her husband there. They were married August 24, 1944 in Casper, Wyoming while Dick was in the service.
Mrs. Blakinger, known for her personal warmth and gentle sense of humor, was an insatiable reader who always had a new novel on her bookshelf. She gave her time generously as a volunteer with such organizations as the Lancaster Library System and Meals-On-Wheels. She also loved theater, travel, playing bridge with friends, birding, and enjoying nature.
But above all else, she loved sharing time with her family that in later years came to include 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Born in Casper, Wyoming, she was the daughter of the late Clarence H. Bowman and Ada Estey Bowman. In addition to her husband of 73 years, she is survived by five children. They are Charles Bowman, of Lititz, married to Mary (Shirk); Dan Allan, of Lancaster, married to Cindy (Thomas); Betsy Em, of Wrightsville, wife of Joseph Rubadue; John Leo, of Bend, Oregon, married to Teresa (Bidlake); and Jean Marie, of West Chester, widow of Matthew Zizik.
Mrs. Blakinger is survived by 13 grandchildren. They are Kate, John Richard, Keri, Andrew, Krista, Maria, Jamie, Michael, Grace, Carly, Dane, Kyle and Valerie. She also has six great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Austin, Ellis, Dean, Evaline and Micah.
She was preceded in death by her brother, U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Charles H. Bowman; a son-in-law, Matthew Zizik, and a granddaughter, Julia Rubadue.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Blakinger will be celebrated at 11AM, Saturday, January 13, 2018, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 601 E. Delp Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601. Family and friends will be received for a time of greeting from 10AM to 11AM. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Water Street Ministries, 210 South Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17604, or the Lancaster Public Library, 125 North Duke Street, Lancaster PA 17602.
The wife of Richard (Dick) J. Blakinger, she had been a Willow Valley resident 13 years and, before that, lived in Manheim Township for 54 years.
She attended Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and met her husband there. They were married August 24, 1944 in Casper, Wyoming while Dick was in the service.
Mrs. Blakinger, known for her personal warmth and gentle sense of humor, was an insatiable reader who always had a new novel on her bookshelf. She gave her time generously as a volunteer with such organizations as the Lancaster Library System and Meals-On-Wheels. She also loved theater, travel, playing bridge with friends, birding, and enjoying nature.
But above all else, she loved sharing time with her family that in later years came to include 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Born in Casper, Wyoming, she was the daughter of the late Clarence H. Bowman and Ada Estey Bowman. In addition to her husband of 73 years, she is survived by five children. They are Charles Bowman, of Lititz, married to Mary (Shirk); Dan Allan, of Lancaster, married to Cindy (Thomas); Betsy Em, of Wrightsville, wife of Joseph Rubadue; John Leo, of Bend, Oregon, married to Teresa (Bidlake); and Jean Marie, of West Chester, widow of Matthew Zizik.
Mrs. Blakinger is survived by 13 grandchildren. They are Kate, John Richard, Keri, Andrew, Krista, Maria, Jamie, Michael, Grace, Carly, Dane, Kyle and Valerie. She also has six great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Austin, Ellis, Dean, Evaline and Micah.
She was preceded in death by her brother, U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Charles H. Bowman; a son-in-law, Matthew Zizik, and a granddaughter, Julia Rubadue.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Blakinger will be celebrated at 11AM, Saturday, January 13, 2018, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 601 E. Delp Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601. Family and friends will be received for a time of greeting from 10AM to 11AM. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Water Street Ministries, 210 South Prince Street, Lancaster, PA 17604, or the Lancaster Public Library, 125 North Duke Street, Lancaster PA 17602.
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