Phyllis Blankenship

Phyllis E. Blankenship, age 93 of Monroe, died Thursday, February 19, 2015, at Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines. Memorial services will be held on Monday, February 23, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. at the Monroe United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Silent City Cemetery. The family will greet friends following the burial at the church. Memorials may be directed to the church or the Monroe Rec Park. Condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com. Phyllis Eileen Gloyd Blankenship, the youngest daughter of Ralph and Letha Hetherington Gloyd, was born in Monroe on July 19, 1921. She received the prestigious '4-square girl' award at Monroe High School. She graduated from the American Institute of Business in Des Moines following high school. Phyllis met and fell in love with Walter D. Blankenship as she travelled on a train he was working on. They married on September 29, 1945. They had two sons Ralph (R.D.) in 1946 and Charles (Chuck) in 1952. The most important thing to Phyllis was family. She was always reading to a kid on her lap until they got too big to fit and sometimes even after ...[more]

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t! Her vacations always involved visiting relatives, especially the Blankenship families in Kansas and Oklahoma. Phyllis had a very special relationship with granddaughter Tiffany who was more like a daughter to her. She was very close to Tiffany's family, her husband Jaret and their boys Braeden and Deacon. She loved watching the boys in everything they did and their weekly visits to the 'farm.' Phyllis truly enjoyed being around her friends and was involved in many groups including P.E.O, Woman's Club, Bridge Club and Wednesday Coffee Group. She was a proud lifetime member of the Monroe Methodist Church and sang in the choir for many years. She was close with many people especially Mary, Sharon, Skip and Sue, and the Lewis family. Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, husband Walter, sons R.D. and Chuck, a sister Eloise and brother-in-law George. Survivors include her granddaughter Tiffany (Jaret) and their sons Braeden and Deacon Vasey; former daughter-in-law Sue (Skip) and their son, Trevor (Jennie) as well as many Blankenship nieces and nephews. Through all the heartache of loss Phyllis endured she never lost her capacity to open her heart and love fully. She cherished sharing memories of those who had passed and we know she is having a great time playing cards and catching up with them now.