Sally P. Blanchet, Co-Founder Of Freehold Cartage, Was 98

FREEHOLD, NJ — Funeral services have been announced for Sally P. Blanchet, a longtime Freehold resident who founded Freehold Cartage with her late husband. Mrs. Blanchet died Thursday, July 26, 2018 at the age of 98, according to obituary information supplied by Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home.

Mrs. Blanchet was born in Pulaski, PA on the Phillis family farm, and raised in Pleasant Mills before moving to Flemington and eventually settling in Freehold. She attended the University of Mary Washington for two years and later established the Jean Marie Phillis Scholarship there in her sister’s memory. She volunteered at Freehold Area Hospital, now CentraState Medical Center, where a tower is named after her late husband and late brother.

Mrs. Blanchet and her late husband, Tom, founded Freehold Cartage Inc. in 1962, and she remained actively involved with the business until she was 96 years old. Her business was her passion; she loved the company and its employees. Her work family kept her going after Mr. Blanchet passed away.

As a young married woman she was a talented seamstress and homemaker, always hosting holiday dinners. She had a meal readily available at a moment’s notice, and snacks of cantaloupe, blueberries and string cheese.

Mrs. Blanchet also was a member of Soroptimist International, which is an organization that empowers women and girls by providing access to education. She attended Pinelands United Methodist Church and was a member of Old Tennent Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Blanchet traveled extensively, including trips to Morocco, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Australia and even walked on the Great Wall of China in 1972. Later in life, she moved back to her childhood home where she remained until the time of her passing. She was passionate about her family, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her business.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Thomas J. Blanchet; her brothers, Jack L. Phillis, William K. Phillis, and sister Jean Marie Phillis. Mrs. Blanchet is survived by two sons, Tim Blanchet and his wife, Susan, of Upper Freehold, and Bill Blanchet and his wife, Marnie, of Severna Park, MD; and one daughter, Suzanne Hirst and her husband, Greg, of Sweetwater; eight grandchildren, Ken Blanchet of Upper Freehold, Blair Hampton and her husband, Tom of Cookstown, Sara Blanchet of Freehold, Chris Blanchet and his wife, Lisa, of Millersville, MD, Matt Blanchet and his wife, Lauren, of Severna Park, MD, Joe Blanchet and his wife, Barbara, of Pasadena, MD, Michael Hirst and his wife, Josefin, of Winter Haven, FL, and Michelle Krstic and her husband, Dragan, of Lincolnwood, IL; and 11 great-grandchildren, Brielle, Crew, Leigha, Gavin, Joseph, Maggie, Mila, Miller, Blake, Abigail and Chevelle.

Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township, on Friday, August 3, 2018 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her 11 a.m. funeral service on Saturday, August 4, 2018 at Old Tennent Church, Tennent Road, Manalapan. Interment will follow in Old Tennent Cemetery.

For those who desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Jean Marie Phillis Scholarship, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 or CentraState Healthcare Foundation, 225 Willow Brook Road, Suite 5, Freehold, NJ 07728. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com

Follow us on Facebook. Click here and give us a like!

Photo by Karen Wall, Patch staff