Burial: Blair Cemetery, Blair, NE

Findagrave Memorial: 85945330

No Newspaper Listed

Tom Blanchard Passes Away June 10th

Funeral Services will be conducted on Wednesday, June 13th at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Blair for Thomas H. Blanchard, 92, who passed away in Blair on June 10th. Father Jess Hansen will officiate at the 11:00 a.m. service, and interment will be made in Blair Cemetery.

Masonic services will be held on Tuesday, June 12th at 8:00 p.m. at Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home in Fort Calhoun, conducted by Washington Lodge No. 21.

Thomas H. Blanchard was born in Gardiner, Maine on October 21, 1892 to Fredrick and Olive Blanchard. He grew to manhood in Gardiner, attended school there, and was a graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine in 1915. Tom taught school until he became a Chautauqua entertainer, traveling with a male quarter along with his wife Ruth, as the “Blanchard Duo”. They were married on May 6, 1923. They became radio entertainers, and then in 1942 they bought their house on the hill and moved to Blair where he lived, the rest of his life.

They became teachers again when they moved to Blair, and Tom later served as County Superintendent for nine years.

Tom was very active in all of the Masonic bodies, serving as head of most orders. He was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and served as reader and vestryman. Tom was a member of the Blair Lions Club, heading up their Minstrel for many years. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and a sister, Anne.

Pallbearers at the funeral will be Richard Nielsen, Morton Steyer, Elmer Sells, Arnold Rosterman, Dale Stricklett and Jim Risness. Honorary pallbearers are Ralph Steyer, Hiram Herron, Ernie Bohs, Forest Lewis, Grant Hayes, and Dale Wilson. Ruth Mirtz will be the organist at the church.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~