Obit of Blanton, Ruth Mae (b453) - Unknown County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 1 Sep 2004 Return to Unknown County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okstate.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Bakersfield Californian Ruth Mae Blanton 7/31/1910 4/29/2003 Funeral Services will be conducted by Peters Funeral Home on Saturday, May 3, 2003, in Bakersfield, at 11:00 a.m., at the Olive Knolls Church of the Nazarene, for longtime Wasco and Bakersfield resident Ruth Mae Blanton, who died April 29, following a lengthy illness. Interment will be at Shafter Memorial Park. Visitation will be held at Peters Funeral Home today, May 2, 2003, from 10 a.m. 8 p.m. Ruth was born July 31st, 1910, in Oklahoma Territory and was part of the dust bowl generation that moved to Kern County from Texas seeking a better life for her and her late husband, Emmett and 10 children, three of whom were born in California. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband of forty-six years, Emmett Joseph Blanton. Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Ken and Judy Blanton, Kelly and Yvonne Blanton, Joe and Mary Blanton, Melvin and Jan Blanton, Dwight and Jenifer Blanton, all of Bakersfield, Keith and Cathy Blanton of Bodfish, Johnny and Pat Blanton of Ridgecrest, Martin and Linda Blanton of Vacaville; daughters and sons-in-law, Dolly Kirschenmann and Marvin of Shafter, and Penny Shafer and Ross of Bakersfield. She also leaves 35 grandchildren (23 grandsons and 12 granddaughters) and 46 great-grandchildren (30 of whom are boys and 16 girls) and 12 great- great-grandchildren (4 boys and 8 girls). Thus, she leaves 103 direct descendents when including her 10 children. She also leaves special, loving friends, Mary and Armando Gutierrez and their children, Anita and Ricardo, Vivien and Robert, Armando, Jr. and Frances, all of Shafter. She is survived by her sister, Oleta Foster of Shafter and brother, Victor Smart and wife, Joyce, of Thousand Oaks, California. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by three other sisters and two brothers. As a mother and wife, she not only maintained the house, but spent many years picking cotton and harvesting other crops to help the family make ends meet. Her last years of work were spent as a special education teachers aide in Wasco for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office. The hallmark of her life was her love for children, not only her own, but for all the neighborhood children who referred to her as Granny. It centered her service to the handicapped children, whom she loved and treated as her own. Like a busy bee, she darted from child to child, according to their needs. Granny was strict and expected her children to work hard to help the family, but always encouraged her children to grow as people, to be productive citizens and to care for others. She couldnt tolerate laziness in her children and expected each and every one of them to reflect well on the family. Ruth knew the value of hard work and instilled this work ethic in her children. Her life wasnt easy, but she seldom complained and saw all her children engage in careers, raise their families and give back to their communities. Her strong Christian faith sustained her throughout her rigorous life. Her faith inspired two of her sons to become ministers, one of whom, Martin, will officiate at her funeral services. Memorials may be made to Hoffmann Hospice of Bakersfield or to The Olive Knolls Church Scholarship Fund. Peters Funeral Home-Shafter -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Unknown County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/okstate.html