| Honored by: | Stuart Gearhart |
| Brick location: | A:20 map |
November 25 1892-December 15 1984
My Mother! A rural school teacher and family educator a lover of song birds flowers and nature who taught her children the enjoyment of god’s creations, a gardener and homemaker and a farmer’s wife and partner.
She toiled during the great depression to assure that her children were fed and clothed to her personal sacrifices. She nurtured each of her eight children equally with the same quality and quantity of bountiful love. Blanche was born at Bull Creek, South Dakota and traveled by covered wagon to Harlan, Iowa in 1897. She was educated in rural schools in Center Township Shelby County Harlan High School and completed her normal training education at the Western Iowa Vocational College at Harlan.
She taught in rural schools in Jackson and Center Townships until her marriage to Ellis Gearhart in 1916. She boarded with various farmers within the school districts in which she taught and under some circumstances because of distance had to ride a horse to the school. Her contributions may not have been renowned on a national state or local basis but were to her family.
3/12/98