Mary Blankinship

Monday, December 9, 2019

PARMA, Mo. — Mary Blankinship, 88, died Dec. 8, 2019, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff.

Born Oct. 11, 1931, in Parma, daughter of the late Arthur and Myrtle Gillbreath

Neal, she had lived in Parma all of her life and had worked as a CNA, Med Tech and in in-home care until she was 82. She was a member of the Eastern Star and the Church of Christ belief.

On March 14, 1960, in Piggott, Ark., she married Ulysses Solomon "Blanky" Blankinship, who preceded her in death on July 2, 1990.

Survivors include: one daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Roy Duncan of Malden; one son and and daughter-in-law, Ulysses "Boy" and Kim Blankinship Jr. of Malden; one sister, Donna June Ates of Florissant; and 14 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by one son, Lowell Shelby; five brothers, Carl, Riley,

Raymond, Harry and Charles Eugene Neal; and two sisters, Louise Gilbreath and Violet Ward.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Parma, where services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday with Rufus Williamson of Parma officiating.

Burial will follow in the Mounds Park Cemetery at New Madrid.

Online condolences may be shared at www.watkinsfuneralhome.com.