Hartsock, Blanche A.

Blanche A. Hartsock, 98, of Iowa City, died Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013, at the Solon Nursing Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, with burial to follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour before the services Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial donations can be made in her memory to the Solon Nursing Care Center.

Online condolences may be sent for her family through the Web at www.gayandciha.com.

Blanche Anna Donham was born Jan. 27, 1915, in Leanna, Kan., the daughter of Andrew and Florence (Camp) Donham. The family moved to Iowa City, where Blanche graduated from University High School. She married William L. Hartsock on Aug. 1, 1934, at First Christian Church in Iowa City. During the late 1950s and 1960s, Blanche baby-sat children of the Iowa Hawkeye football players and coaches during the games, and even when they traveled to the Rose Bowl. Blanche enjoyed her gardens and flowers as she found much solace in caring for these. She so looked forward to their annual family “Leaf Trips,” where she, along with William and their children and spouses would drive from sunup to sunset admiring the colors of fall. As a baker, she loved making the wedding cakes for all of her grandchildrens' weddings.

Her family includes her three children and their spouses, David and Shirlene Hartsock of Glendale, Mo., Deanna and Leo Fuhrmeister of Iowa City and Donna and Rob Schnake of Riverside; nine grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Beth; son-in-law, Mike Volk; and siblings, Harold Donham, Wilma Larson, Ina Wombacher and Alice Mae Kent.

Published Feb. 8, 2013 in The Gazette