Joyce Blankenship

Joyce Blankenship, 78, went to join her Lord in Heaven on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at her home. Born July 3, 1931, Joyce was the daughter of the late Walter 'Watt' B. Howerton and Ilma O. Osborne Howerton of South Portsmouth, Kentucky. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and sister, as well as a long-time member of Northup Baptist Church in Gallipolis, Ohio, where she played piano and organ. She was a 1949 graduate of McKell High School in South Portsmouth, Kentucky and attended Ashland Junior College in Ashland, Kentucky and Portsmouth Business College in Portsmouth, Ohio. She spent time as a school teacher, a school bus driver and worked at the Ohio State University extension office. Also preceding her in death were three sisters, Margery E. Howerton, Ada June Howerton Ramey and Iva Mae Howerton Metzler, and a stillborn grandson, Christopher Keith Johnson. She is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Roy Wesley Blankenship; two daughters, Vicki L. Steven Johnson of Lancaster and Lisa K. Anthony Mulholand of Bidwell; two sons, Roy Keith Sue Blankenship of Gallipolis and Gary A. Kathy Blankenship of Little Hocking; three brothers, David W. Mary Howerton of Felicity, Ohio, Jerry I. Ellen Howerton of Maloneton, Kentucky and John P. Betty Howerton of South Portsmouth, Kentucky; 13 grandchildren, Cory Johnson, Dustin Johnson, Cari Cory Perroud, Nicholas Mulholand, Christie Blankenship, Andrew Blankenship, Cayla Ryan Watson, Brody Blankenship, Zachary Blankenship, Casee Nicholas George, Aaron Mulholand, Richelle Blankenship and Hannah Blankenship; and four great grandchildren, Austin and Aubrei Perroud, Collin Watson and Olivia Lawrence. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, August 20, 2009 at the Willis Funeral Home in Gallipolis with Pastor Jim Chapman officiating. Burial will follow in Centenary Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. Pallbearers will be grandsons Cory Johnson, Dustin Johnson, Andrew Blankenship, Zachary Blankenship, Aaron Mulholand, Nicholas Mulholand. Honorary pallbearer is Brody Blankenship, currently serving in the U.S. Navy. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Northup Baptist Church, c/o Madge Boggs, 2981 Lincoln Pike, Gallipolis, OH 45631. The family would like to thank Holzer Home Health and Holzer Hospice for their compassionate care of our wife, mother and grandmother. Willis Funeral Home Gallipolis OH US Cemetery: 2009-08-20 Centenary Cemetery Centenary OH US Visitation: 2009-08-19 18:00:00-21:00:00 Willis Funeral Home Gallipolis OH US Service: 2009-08-20 14:00:00 Willis Funeral Home Gallipolis OH US