Obituary: Blanche (Thompson) Jones
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Blanche (Thompson) Jones, 88, died peacefully in her sleep at the Port Orange (hospice) Care Center in Port Orange, Fla., at 12:15 a.m. on April 13, 2012. Blanche was a former resident of Lake of Egypt, Marion, but had been residing with her daughter, Samantra Wolf, in Daytona Beach, Fla., for the past several years while suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Blanche was born at home at Walnut Grove on April 20, 1924, to Arthur and Polly (Gaskins) Thompson and was the third youngest of 11 siblings. Blanche graduated valedictorian of her class from Galatia High School, Galatia, in 1942 and married Sam Jones of Harrisburg later that year. Sam preceded her in death in 1987. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Polly; three brothers, Harry, Raymond and Lewis Thompson; and seven sisters, Irene Hayes and Betty Byron of Harrisburg; Mabel Strickland, Mt Carmel; Florence Blankenship and Hazel Forrester of the Alton area; Vivian Mayfield of Marion; and Edith Cox of Katawa, Ky.
Surviving children and grandchildren are: a daughter, Samantra Wolf, Daytona Beach, Fla.; a daughter, Brenda G. Johnson, Carbondale; a son, Casey Jones, residing outside the continental U.S.; several granddaughters: Angela Stout, Lic. Cosmetologist, Harrisburg; renowned artist, Rebecca Wollesen, B.A., Portland, OR; Dr. Amy Wolf, D.C., Brooklyn, NY; Stephanie Langley, R.N., B.S.N.; and Brandy Rector, L.P.A., Galatia; Abigail Stewart, B.S., Realtor, West Frankfort; and Sara Mitchell, Coos Bay, Ore. Great-grandchildren include Ryan and Jordan Langley, Galatia; David, Luke and Andrew Morris, West Frankfort; Damon Jackson and Lea Rector, Galatia; Sabrina Stout, A.P.N.-F.N.P; Danae' Stout, B.A., B.J.; and Kaitlin Stout, B.A., all of Harrisburg; and Blaze and Ronan Mitchell, Coos Bay, Ore. There are also two great-great-granddaughters, Josalin Rae, expected to arrive in early May 2012, and Olive Blanche, arrival date to be announced at a later date.
Blanche owned/operated Lake of Egypt Realty and was the real estate broker on Lake of Egypt for over 35 years; first there, and then as a co-broker with Century 21 House of Realty, Elaine Melby, Owner/Broker. She was a member of the Marion Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Realtors Association for over 35 years and acted as Secretary and/or Treasurer for Lake of Egypt Property Owner's Assoc. for over 25 years. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2003, forcing her to retire from real estate. Blanche dedicated many happy years of her life to the improvement of the Lake of Egypt community doing the ground work necessary to promote the establishment of the LOE Water District and the LOE Fire District in the 1970s and 80s, and as a founding member of the Lake of Egypt Christian Church in beautiful Sunset Harbor. She volunteered often at her church as well as at the Shawnee Christian Nursing Home in Herrin, the Ministerial Alliance thrift store in Goreville and the Min. All. Soup Kitchen in Marion, among other places. Blanche maintained a home in Sunset Harbor as long as she was able. She has spent the past few years in the capable and loving care of her daughter, Samantra Wolf, R.N., in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Visitation for Blanche will be 5 to 8 p.m. April 17, at Blue Funeral Home located at 1704 N. Court St., Marion. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. April 18, officiated by the Rev. Leroy Waggoner. There will be a time of visitation and fellowship from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 18 preceding the service at Lake of Egypt Christian Church, 12102 Malibu Lane, Sunset Harbor, Lake of Egypt, Marion. A private burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Saline County. Blanche will be lain to rest overlooking the fields of the old farm where she was born in April, 1924.
Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to Lake of Egypt Christian Church, 12102 Malibu Lane, Marion, Ill. 62959 or Senior Adult Day Services, 409 N. Springer St., Carbondale, Ill. 62901, where she spent many happy hours and was very well cared for in her early stages of Alzheimer's disease.