Obituary

Retha J. Blankenship

Obituary

Retha J. Blankenship, 77, died Wednesday (July 20, 2016) at Asbury Park in Newton. She was born Oct. 21, 1938, in Goltry, Oklahoma to Donald K. and Denzil M. (Turner) Strait. On May 27, 1955, she married Gary L. Blankenship in Wichita and he preceded her in death on Dec. 4, 2002.

Retha worked as a sales associate and stock room clerk at the Newton ALCO for several years. She enjoyed Bingo outings, cooking and making quilts. She created several special birth quilts for her great-grandchildren, which they cherish. She and her husband enjoyed yardwork and caring for the flowers and landscape. Retha enjoyed traveling around the United States on many vacations though the years. Colorado was one of her favorite places to visit. The most important part of Retha's life was her family. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. She greatly enjoyed keeping up with her daughters and their families' lives.

She is survived by her daughters: Monica Stovall and her husband Jay of Newton, Lori Weis and her husband Dale of Newton, as well as Kathy Lusk and her husband Randy of Mulvane; brothers: Vernon Strait of Mulvane and Keith Strait of Berthoud, Colorado. She is also survived by six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Retha is preceded in death by her parents, husband and brothers: Melvin and Herschel Strait.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Monday (July 25, 2016) at Petersen Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday (July 24, 2016) at Petersen Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery, Newton.

Memorials are suggested to Victory in the Valley in care of Petersen Funeral Home.