Margaret "Blanche" Smith, 97, formerly of Marathon and Ithaca, NY, passed away after a brief illness on Sunday, July 12, 2015 at the Cortland Regional Medical Center in Cortland, NY.
Blanche was born on April 1, 1918 in Rome, NY to the late Albert and Hazel Rasmussen. She was the third of eight children and grew up on a dairy farm in the Rome area. She graduated from high school at the age of 16, and worked until her marriage to the love-of-her-life Harold Henry Smith Sr. on June 18, 1938. She devoted her life to raising her large family and always put their interests above her own. She will be remembered as a selfless, loving, caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, who shared her many "labors of love" with all she met. She will be deeply missed. A member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ithaca, NY, she lovingly served her Savior in the ministry there.
Blanche is survived by her children, Peggy Thomas (Philip) of Delray Beach, FL; Betty Sauerbrey (Robert) of Southport, NC; Albert Smith (Cindy) of Ithaca; Lois Pierson (Darrell) of Myrtle Beach, SC.; Doris Adams (Thomas) of Marathon; Sarah Perkins (Brent) of Richmond, VA; and daughter-in-law, Linda Smith of Newfield. She is also survived by one brother, Eugene (June) Rasmussen of Annapolis, MD and a sister-in-law Sally Rasmussen of Atlanta, GA. Blanche is also survived by 19 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Harold H. Smith in 1988; a daughter, Nancy Eileen in 1943; sons Harold Henry Jr. (Pete) in 1980, and Robert George in 2002. She was also predeceased by her siblings and their spouses John (Roma); Lincoln (Eileen); Walter (Peggy); Janet (Maurice) Bourgeois; Shirley (Charles) Miller; and Erwin Rasmussen.
A memorial service to celebrate Blanche's life will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 at 12:00 noon at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 149 Honness Lane, Ithaca, NY, with the Rev. Robert Foote officiating.
The family would like to express their deepest appreciation to the staff at Legacy Court at Walden Place, Cortland, NY, and the nurses and aides on 2C and 3C at the Cortland Regional Medical Center, Cortland, NY, for their loving, compassionate care of Mom. She touched their hearts with her sweet smile.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in her memory may be directed to the Trinity Lutheran Church, 149 Honness Lane, Ithaca, NY 14850 or to the Franziska Racker Center, 3226 Wilkins Road, Ithaca, NY 14850.
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