Alma A. Blank (Wachal)
January 26, 1919 — January 29, 2010
Alma A. Blank, 91, formerly of Walker and rural Rowley, died Friday, January 29, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Services: 1 p.m. Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at Walker United Methodist Church, Walker, by Rev. Norm Kelley. Family will greet friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, February 1, 2010 at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Walker. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Survivors include a son, Raymond (Marti) Blank of Stanford, Montana; three daughters, Gloria Blank, Prior Lake, Minnesota, Joy (Allen) Schmid, Clinton, Iowa, and Lisa (Kevin) Saunders, Winthrop, Iowa; nine grandchildren, Ryan (Ryanne) Blank, Shawn Blank, Sabrina (Kevin) Call, Kate (Miguel) Chiqui, Ange (Joshua) Volker, Paula Schmid, Brian (Emily) Saunders, Kris (Ben) Schlesser and Lyle Saunders ; great-grandchildren, Paul R. Blank, Savannah and Isabelle Toller and baby Chiqui; one sister, Edna (Ed) Lingo; and two nephews, Gary (Sue) McDowell and Doug (Donna) Wachal.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on January 12, 2001; a daughter, Terril Ann Blank; one brother, Walter Wachal; and one sister, Esther McDowell.
Born January 26, 1919, near Walker, Iowa, to Joseph and Anna (Janko) Wachal, she married Paul Wesley Blank on November 27, 1943, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A 1936 graduate of Wilson High School in Cedar Rapids, Alma and Paul farmed in the Walker and Rowley area for many years. In her early years, she was employed as a tailor’s assistant and worked at Collins Radio during World War II.
Alma was past president of the Walker Rare Club, a member of Royal Neighbors and the Walker United Methodist Church. She served for many years as a “Grandma reader” at the schools in Walker and East Buchanan. In 1993, she received the Governors Volunteer of the Year Award for Education. Alma enjoyed painting, reading, writing, traveling and being an advocate for children and education.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Walker United Methodist Church or Mercy Hospice in memory of Alma.
Survivors include a son, Raymond (Marti) Blank of Stanford, Montana; three daughters, Gloria Blank, Prior Lake, Minnesota, Joy (Allen) Schmid, Clinton, Iowa, and Lisa (Kevin) Saunders, Winthrop, Iowa; nine grandchildren, Ryan (Ryanne) Blank, Shawn Blank, Sabrina (Kevin) Call, Kate (Miguel) Chiqui, Ange (Joshua) Volker, Paula Schmid, Brian (Emily) Saunders, Kris (Ben) Schlesser and Lyle Saunders ; great-grandchildren, Paul R. Blank, Savannah and Isabelle Toller and baby Chiqui; one sister, Edna (Ed) Lingo; and two nephews, Gary (Sue) McDowell and Doug (Donna) Wachal.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on January 12, 2001; a daughter, Terril Ann Blank; one brother, Walter Wachal; and one sister, Esther McDowell.
Born January 26, 1919, near Walker, Iowa, to Joseph and Anna (Janko) Wachal, she married Paul Wesley Blank on November 27, 1943, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A 1936 graduate of Wilson High School in Cedar Rapids, Alma and Paul farmed in the Walker and Rowley area for many years. In her early years, she was employed as a tailor’s assistant and worked at Collins Radio during World War II.
Alma was past president of the Walker Rare Club, a member of Royal Neighbors and the Walker United Methodist Church. She served for many years as a “Grandma reader” at the schools in Walker and East Buchanan. In 1993, she received the Governors Volunteer of the Year Award for Education. Alma enjoyed painting, reading, writing, traveling and being an advocate for children and education.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Walker United Methodist Church or Mercy Hospice in memory of Alma.
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