1927
Mary
2012
Mary Stephens Blankenship
February 21, 1927 — March 17, 2012
Mary Louise (Ballue) Stephens Blankenship, one of 10 children of William and Ollie Maggie (Waggoner) Ballue, was born February 21, 1927 in Quincy, Illinois. Her siblings were Orville, John, Marion (Mary?s twin), Henry, George, Reuben, Julia, Thomas, and Lena Belle. Mary attended school in Brownville, Nebraska.
In 1948, Mary was united in marriage to Marvin (Mutt) Stephens. This union was blessed with two children, William LeRoy and Julie Ann. Mutt passed away in 1970, and Mary married Leland Blankenship in 1973.
Mary and Mutt opened a grocery store in Brownville in 1961 and operated it for five years. In 1970 they opened Mutt?s IGA in Auburn, Nebraska. Mutt passed away four months later, and Mary continued to own and operate the store for eight years. At that time Mary moved the store to Johnson, Nebraska and was in business there for thirty years until May of 2008.
Mary was baptized in the Brownville Christian Church in 1961, and later moved her membership to the Auburn Christian Church. She was a member of the Brownville Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and belonged to the Johnson American Legion Auxiliary. While her health allowed, she volunteered at the Veterans Hospital in Lincoln for five years.
When she could no longer live at her home with Leland, Mary moved to Long?s Creek Assisted Living in Auburn, and later to the Good Samaritan Society-Auburn. On the night of March 14, 2012 she was transferred to the Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, where she passed away at the age of 85 years and 22 days. She was preceded in death by parents, son William ?Bill? Stephens, husband Mutt, seven brothers and two sisters.
Mary is survived by her husband Leland of Auburn; daughter and son-in-law Julie and Gary Thompson of Auburn; step-children Leland, Jr. ?Butch? Blankenship of Rock Port, MO; Linda and husband Jeff Huey of Omaha; grandchildren Lauren and Lukas Buchmeier; Matthew, Kyle, and Kelsey Thompson; 10 step-grandchildren; 6 step-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be Sunday, March 18, 2:00 p.m. at the Auburn Christian Church. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery at Brownville. Visitation will be at the funeral home Saturday noon to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends 3:00 to 5:00.
Memorials in lieu of flowers are suggested to Auburn Christian Church or Good Samaritan Society-Auburn Activities Fund.
In 1948, Mary was united in marriage to Marvin (Mutt) Stephens. This union was blessed with two children, William LeRoy and Julie Ann. Mutt passed away in 1970, and Mary married Leland Blankenship in 1973.
Mary and Mutt opened a grocery store in Brownville in 1961 and operated it for five years. In 1970 they opened Mutt?s IGA in Auburn, Nebraska. Mutt passed away four months later, and Mary continued to own and operate the store for eight years. At that time Mary moved the store to Johnson, Nebraska and was in business there for thirty years until May of 2008.
Mary was baptized in the Brownville Christian Church in 1961, and later moved her membership to the Auburn Christian Church. She was a member of the Brownville Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and belonged to the Johnson American Legion Auxiliary. While her health allowed, she volunteered at the Veterans Hospital in Lincoln for five years.
When she could no longer live at her home with Leland, Mary moved to Long?s Creek Assisted Living in Auburn, and later to the Good Samaritan Society-Auburn. On the night of March 14, 2012 she was transferred to the Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, where she passed away at the age of 85 years and 22 days. She was preceded in death by parents, son William ?Bill? Stephens, husband Mutt, seven brothers and two sisters.
Mary is survived by her husband Leland of Auburn; daughter and son-in-law Julie and Gary Thompson of Auburn; step-children Leland, Jr. ?Butch? Blankenship of Rock Port, MO; Linda and husband Jeff Huey of Omaha; grandchildren Lauren and Lukas Buchmeier; Matthew, Kyle, and Kelsey Thompson; 10 step-grandchildren; 6 step-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be Sunday, March 18, 2:00 p.m. at the Auburn Christian Church. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery at Brownville. Visitation will be at the funeral home Saturday noon to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends 3:00 to 5:00.
Memorials in lieu of flowers are suggested to Auburn Christian Church or Good Samaritan Society-Auburn Activities Fund.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary Stephens Blankenship, please visit our flower store.
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