sing on special education, from CalPoly in Pomona. She received her masters at the University of Illinois and came back to California to teach. She started in Porterville and then moved to San Diego where where she taught for over 17 years. She was not done yet, as she said, "I am not going to sit around here and watch the grass grow." Blanche joined the Peace Corps and volunteered for two years in Cayambe, Ecuador as a special education specialist. She would tell you she made great friends, especially Diane, and loved to have her family visit to take them around the country. When Blanche was done with Ecuador, she relocated to Seattle, but she kept up her travels and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Global Volunteers. Her volunteer work took her to Guatemala, Poland, Tanzania, South Africa, Northern Ireland, a Navajo reservation in Arizona, and a number of other places. Blanche's work included everything from teaching to bricklaying, from childcare to wallboard taping. She was willing to do anything she was asked. On many of these trips, she made new lifelong friends. Blanche's other trips were more for fun and exploring. She visited most of Europe, including Turkey, and she made a number of trips to Mexico and Costa Rica. Many of these journeys were with her sister Kathleen, and she mixed studying Spanish with exploring. Planning to take trips, taking the trip, and working on the journals and photo albums to document the trip were all Blanche's way of expanding her horizon (she used to say, "use it or lose it"). Back in Seattle, Blanche also was a very busy person, giving of herself all the time. She crocheted blankets and hats for seniors with her friends at the Phinney Neighborhood Association. She volunteered at local schools and at the Green Lake Park Alliance. One of her most cherished activities was volunteering at the Blessed Sacrament St. Vincent de Paul Sunday Dinner where she was known as the "Gravy Lady." Blanche worked at the Sunday Dinner for over ten years and was loved by so many. Blanche loved to walk, play bridge, read books, do puzzles, volunteer, and plan trips. Blanche was adored by her family, friends, and those who cared for her. Blanche had a way of winning people over with her sense of humor, her genuine kindness and humility, and her infectious spirit that will be missed by all. If you are so inclined and want to acknowledge Blanche, consider donating to her favorite program, the Sunday Dinner at Blessed Sacrament Church. You can make the check out to Blessed Sacrament Food Program and indicate it is in memory of Blanche. Mail it to Bans Chabra, Treasurer, Blessed Sacrament Food Program, 5050 8th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98105. Thank you for your generosity.