Janet Blankenship

Janet L. (Smith) Blankenship, age 89, of Battle Creek, passed away on November
1, 2017 at the Laurels of Bedford. She was born on July 2, 1928 in Lansing, the
daughter of Lewis and Emma (Wenzlick) Smith. Jan graduated from Lansing
Eastern High School in 1946, then married her husband, Bob, in 1948. They lived
in Lansing until moving to Battle Creek 1952 where they made their home for over
sixty-five years. She was a bookkeeper from 1974 to 1992 at Custom Millwork.
Jan, along with her husband Bob, was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic
Church. Their faith was a driving force in both their lives and they visited the Holy
Land in 1980 to explore the history of their faith even further. Family was
always a priority in Jan’s life. She and Bob took the family on countless camping
trips in Michigan and around the country to show their children the beauty and
history of other places. She and Bob both encouraged their children to follow
their dreams as they chose to move to different places in the country. In her
spare time, Janet enjoyed watercolor painting, photography and making
wonderful holiday and birthday cards using copies of her paintings and photos.
Her watercolors as well as copies of them have been shared with family & friends.
Janet was preceded in death by her husband; Robert Blankenship in 2003. She is
survived by her daughters; Linda (Richard) Brown and Carol (Kenneth) Crawford,
both of Traverse City, sons; Paul Blankenship of Ormond Beach, Florida, Larry
(Allison) Blankenship of Naples, Florida, grandchildren; Jennifer (Todd) Stein,
Janine (Warren) Alwine both of Elkhart, Indiana, Cory Blankenship of Naples,
Florida, Dr. Logan Blankenship of Jacksonville, Florida, Spencer and Sawyer
Crawford of Traverse City, great- grandchildren; Brandon Stein, Madelinn and
Olivia Alwine. She will be greatly missed by all of them as well as her many friends
from the coffee shop and her prayer group. Friends may call from 6:00 to 8:00
p.m. on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home &
Cremation Services. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 p.m. on
Thursday, November 9, 2017 at St. Philip Catholic Church, Fr. John Fleckenstein
celebrant. Private inurnment will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Philip Catholic Church. Condolences
may be left for the family at www.henryfuneralhome.org