Lucille "Lucy" Blanchard

Lucille "Lucy" Blanchard

Having been born in 1927, our mother was a product of the depression era.  She was born in Rocky Ford, Colorado, and shortly after, her parents, along with her one-year-old brother, Vivian, moved to Buena Vista.  She was raised on a farm with five siblings.  Mom learned to work hard at a very young age, but that’s the way it was back in the 1930’s.  They moved a couple of times in Buena Vista and later, when mom was in ninth grade, they moved to the city, Rocky Ford.  She has many fond memories growing up on the farms.  She started working at a young age picking vegetables; since she was paid by the bushel, she would try to pick as many as she could.
Upon graduating from high school, she worked for Libby’s as a secretary.  A friend of hers asked mom if she would “fill in” for her as a waitress after her day job for a couple of weeks.  Mom, of course, said yes.  While working in the restaurant, mom met our dad.  He had just been hired in Denver as a lineman for the telephone company and was sent to Rocky Ford to work on the poles.  My dad, along with a crew of linemen stopped in for a meal (more than once) at the restaurant where our mother was working.  The other men, who were married, started asking mom if she would go out with dad (dad must have been a little shy).  At first she said “no,” because he had a ring on his right hand and she assumed he must be married.  It turned out this ring was given to him by one of his buddies (the wife of the buddy) who had died while fighting during WW II.  Mom was finally convinced and decided to go out with him (after all, who could resist our dad?).  The story goes they were married 6 – 8 weeks later on November 27, 1948.  
The couple moved a few times, but dad always wanted to move back where he was raised, so they ended up in Englewood.  Dad, with the help of friends and family, built a brick house where they raised the three of us.  
Mom was a homemaker, dad, having been raised fatherless, did not want mom to work.  Mom always had plenty to do which included giving all the neighbors hair perms and hair-cuts, having a yard full of children and trying to keep up with the cleaning and laundry.  Their house was always open to the neighbors and family.  When we were all in school, she kept busy with volunteering as room mother, PTA, cub scouts leader, 4H leader, going to all the after-school activities and sports.  She was an amazing seamstress sewing for all of us.  She learned to tailor beautiful suits for dad and sons plus lingerie for herself and daughter.  Mom was a wonderful cook, anyone who stayed with us (and there were many as mom and dad never turned anyone away) could always count on a good home-cooked meal with dessert.  Walking home from school, we could often smell home baked goods coming from our house.
Every summer was busy with sports and vacationing with our families and friends.  After the three of us were married and dad was retired, every summer he would arrange a family vacation for all of us, they always enjoyed keeping the family together.  Mom and dad were both involved with St Louis Catholic Church in Englewood.  Mom was active in the Alter and Rosary Society, helped clean the church once a month and sewed lap blankets for the retired priests.  She was very handy with many types of crafts such as jewelry making, ceramics and the many porcelain dolls she has given as gifts.
Dad and mom moved to Grand Junction in 2006 where they had a house built.  A year later, dad passed away.  After mom recovered from feeling like a “zombie,” she knew she had to get out of the house and start living again.  Right away she started volunteering for the thrift store, now called Heirlooms (all proceeds go to hospice).  She started in her Alter and Rosary Society affiliated with St Joseph Catholic Church in Grand Junction and she found a Pioneer group she would have lunch with twice a month.  She took a few line dance classes and yoga.  She kept her sewing up by making baby quilts for her great-grandchildren and making beautiful Christmas stockings for all of her children and spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, totaling 33.  She always loved the small town with the wonderful neighbors (who watched over her) and friends.  She was a very strong lady and always let God take control.  Mom was considered the glue who kept all of our family (including her brothers and sisters and in-laws) together.  She is our angel who will be missed very much.
Mom is survived by son, Michael, in Peoria, Arizona; Ron, in Englewood; Janyce Martin, in Thornton.  Older brother, Vivian Swedhin, in Rocky Ford; Doris Stahlacher, in Waco, Texas; Yvonne, in Rush.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Louis Catholic Church (3310 South Sherman Street, Englewood, CO 80113) on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. with interment following at 12 Noon at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

Family and friends are welcome to share stories and photographs of Lucy here on her website (click appropriate tab on the left side of this page).