Obituaries
Former Oregon State Employee Mary Edith Blanche Passes At 87
Mary died of natural causes last week in Salem, where she lived and worked since 1969.
SALEM, OR — Longtime Oregon State employee Mary Edith Blanche passed away peacefully Jan. 16. She was 87.
Born Feb. 26, 1930, in Los Angeles, California, Blanche was the third of Edith and Lester Heavner's four children, according to Legacy.com.
Moving to Trona, California, in 1945, Blanche was fond of sharing stories of her teen years in the desert — which included an elopement with her husband Richard Blanche in 1948. Together, the Blanches raised five children, moving to Salem, Oregon, in 1969.
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In Salem, Blanche attended Chemeketa Community College and earned an associates degree before joining the state workforce, where she remained until her retirement in 1991.
Blanche, who enjoyed cooking, traveling, and game shows, is survived by five children, her ex-husband Joseph May, nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
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