Marylin Viola Blankenship

Marylin Blankenship, 80, of Livonia, MO, passed away at the Putnam County Memorial Hospital in Unionville, MO, on Tuesday, October 24, 2017. She had been a patient there for less than a week.

Marylin Viola (Ridgeway) Blankenship was born in Putnam County, MO, on July 16, 1937, the daughter of Marion and Florence (Lawson) Ridgeway, who preceded her in death. She attended rural schools in the Hartford, MO, area before graduating from Unionville High School in 1955. She married Orville Junior Blankenship on August 7, 1955. He preceded her in death on January 19, 1991.

Marylin was very active in the Hartford 4-H as a youngster. One of her favorite memories was going to the state of Washington with her family as a young girl where they helped in the apple harvest. After marriage, Marylin and Junior farmed in eastern Putnam County where Marylin did most of the chores of a farmer’s wife including driving grain trucks and other machinery during the harvest. She also worked at Hollister in Kirksville, MO, as well as driving the handicap bus for Putnam County R-1. She would take the students to Kirksville, work at Hardees while they were in school, and drive them back in the afternoon. Marilyn also worked at the Head Start and worked at the Putnam County Library in retirement, a job she dearly loved.

Marylin was an active member at the Hartford Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School. She deeply loved her Lord and loved to serve Him through the church. Marylin was famous for her Halloween Popcorn balls and for having a lead foot when it came to driving. Marylin had been a resident at the Putnam County Care Center for about two years.

Marylin is survived by her children: Ronald (Lea Ann) Blankenship and Phillip Blankenship of Unionville, MO, and Ronda Breden of Kirksville, MO. Her grandchildren are Mary (C.L.) Vestal, Wesley (Tiffany) Blankenship, Aaron (Tara) Blankenship, Antony James “AJ” Blankenship, Josh (Jaclyn) Blankenship, Ariel (Wesley) Parsons, and Ranae Breden. Great grandchildren are Devin Vestal, Levi Blankenship, Zoe Blankenship, Erial Stutsman, Shaylea Vestal, Harvester Blankenship, Jack Blankenship, Jasper Blankenship, and Corbitt Blankenship. Marylin is also survived by two brothers, Stanley (Ruth) Ridgeway of Unionville, MO, and Bob (Pam) Ridgeway of Centreville, AR, and a sister, Henrietta Jonaitis of Millersburg, MO. Many nieces and nephews also survive.

In addition to her parents and husband, Marylin was preceded in death by a daughter-in-law, Cindy Blankenship, a brother, John Ridgeway, and great grandchildren Blakely, Henry, and Parker Parsons.

Funeral services for Marylin Blankenship will be at Hartford Baptist Church at 2:30 pm on Sunday, October 29, 2017. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at the St. John Cemetery north of Livonia.

Memorials are suggested to the Hartford Baptist Church and may be entrusted with Playle and Collins Family Funeral Home, 709 S. 27th St., Unionville, MO 63565.