Blanche Emily Ann Richards was born on her mother’s and brother’s birthday in a farmhouse outside of West Point , Nebraska to Anders & Anna Johnson. She was the youngest of 5 siblings. She attended school in a one room school house until the age of 12.She then went to high school in Lyons, Nebraska where she graduated at the tender age of 16.
She moved to Omaha, Nebraska and lived in a rooming house3 where she met her husband. She worked as a secretary at Mutual of Omaha. She married Robert B. Richards on March 8, 1944 at Salem Covenant Church in Oakland, Nebraska. For the early part of their marriage she lived with his parents and then in military housing while her husband recovered from injuries sustained in WW II. They had two daughters, JoAnn and Roberta Joy and eventually settled in Iowa.
Blanche worked many jobs including Mutual of Omaha, IRS, and an architectural firm .
Blanche’s life revolved around family and church. She volunteered in many capacities at church including starting Marriage Encounter with her husband, compiling the church bulletins, Women’s Ministry, Bible Study, etc. She was a breast cancer survivor and volunteered for 10 years with the “Reach to Recovery” program for the American Cancer Society.
Her and her husband’s passion to evangelize about our Lord eventually led them to the Salvation Army preforming Christian Magic and Ventriloquism for children across America.
Blanche had many talents. She wrote all the programs and dialogue for the Salvation Army shows. She was a gifted writer, artist, and quilter just to name a few. She received an Associates of Art Degree while in her 60s.
Blanche was preceded in death by her parents , husband, siblings, daughter(Roberta Joy, 2 nieces and 2 nephews.
She is survived by her daughter JoAnn Henderson, her son-in-law Dennis Henderson, her grandchildren: Michelle Rittenhouse, Matthew Henderson, Heather McCreery and Kristofor Hayward. She is also survived by 5 great grandchildren ,many loved nieces and nephews and scores of Great nieces and nephews and a few great great nieces and nephews.