Blanche E. Gbur, 83

YOUNGSTOWN – There will be services at 11 a.m. Monday at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 388 E. Midlothian Blvd., for Blanche E. Gbur, 83, who passed away Thursday at Beeghly Oaks where she resided the past two months. Blanche will always be lovingly remembered by her many family and friends.
She was born April 18, 1923 in Orleans, Neb., a daughter to Herman and Emma Petersen.
Music was appreciated very much in her family as each member played a musical instrument, sang harmony together around the family piano, and enjoyed entertaining at many church and neighborhood social events.
After graduating from Huntley High School, she moved to Los Angeles after accepting a position to work for the county judge. She was later employed by the E.F. Hutton Company (stock exchange).
She met her husband, Barney, while he was serving in the U.S. Army during WWII. They fell in love and were married three months later. After the arrival of their first daughter, Sandra, they relocated to Barney’s home town of Lowellville, where they later welcomed three more daughters to their family; Linda, Donna and Carol.
Blanche enjoyed being a homemaker, wife and mother very much during her life, always making time to talk and help others. So many people in her life relied on her good advice and understanding, so she enjoyed the friendship and love of young and old alike in her life. She never seemed to age no matter how many physical challenges she experienced.
She was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, where she enjoyed the friendship of many beautiful friends.
Her husband, Barney, whom she married June 17, 1944, died May 16, 1986.
She was also preceded in death by her sister, Dorothy Sundquist; a son-in-law, John A Shaffer; and two grandchildren, P.J. and Justin Swaney.
She leaves behind two brothers, Darrel Petersen of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Donald Petersen of Holdrege, Neb.; three sisters, Irene Davidson and Lucile Erickson, both of Denver, and LaDonna Weissman of Holdrege; her four daughters, Sandra Shaffer of Warren, Linda (Jeff) Kulow of Struthers, Donna Gbur of Youngstown and Carol (Dave) Neuberger of Columbus; seven grandchildren, Jacqueline Shaffer of Columbus, Cynthia, John and Timothy Shaffer, all of Warren, Richard (Rachel) O’Donnell of Wilmington, N.C., Robert (Lisa) O’Donnell of New Middletown and David Neuberger of Columbus; and five great-grandchildren, Ava, Jack and Carter O’Donnell of Wilmington, and Brooke and Jake O’Donnell of New Middletown.
Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Clemente Funeral Home in Struthers and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at the church.
The family requests that material contributions take the form of donations to Beeghly Oaks, 6505 Market St., Building D, Boardman, OH 44512, attn. Stefhanie Schaffner.