Blanch Parker

Blanch Parker, 95, passed away at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Tuesday, January 6, 2009. She lived in Shawnee, Kansas and had been a Kansas City area resident since the age of 14.

She was born the in Pierce City, Missouri on September 19, 1913. She had been the last survivor of 14 children from her parents William Smith and Louella Wilson Smith.

Blanch was married in 1934 to Edson Briggs Parker, Jr. who preceded her in death in 1984. She was also preceded in death by two daughters, Jo Ann Powell and Lois G. Clark, both of the Kansas City area. She was survived by a son, Edson B. Parker, III (Dolores) of Overland Park. Grandchildren; Edson B. Parker, IV (Rose), Dianne Card (Jack), Rance Wayne Powell (Susan), Beverly Card (Jim) all of Kansas City, Kansas and Carol Vawser (Jack) of Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is also survived by 13 great grandchildren, 18 great, great grandchildren, and many loving nephews and nieces.

She came to Kansas City with older siblings and took care of children in her employers homes while attending Northeast and Paseo High Schools. She worked at the Union Station handling mail during WWII. Later she became a beautician managing her brother Fred Smith’s Shoe Repair, Beauty and Barber Shop on the square in Independence, Missouri. She started and owned Chic Beauty Salon in 1948 in Kansas City, Kansas, where she had 4 full time beauticians until she sold the shop in 1964. She had a reduced clientele in her home beauty shop on State Ave until 1972.

Blanch’s church activities were with Grandview Christian Church and Stoney Point Christian church in Kansas City, Kansas, where she was in the women’s society, choir and a deaconess. She later became a member of the First Baptist Church in Shawnee.

Upon moving to Shawnee in 1972, she formed and directed the Merriam Senior Nutrition Center’s Kitchen Band that played at Old Shawnee Days and nursing homes throughout the area. Blanch was also a secretary for the Johnson County Area on Aging, Nutrition, Site council.

Blanch believed strongly in taking care of her health and lived in her home with some home housekeeping, Meals on Wheels and visiting nurse care until she went to the hospital where she passed away peacefully of congestive heart failure.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Overland Park Host Lions Club Endowment Fund or the City Union Mission.

Visitation and Funeral Service

Services will be held Saturday at the Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee with a visitation from 10 to 11 AM followed by the service at 11 AM. Burial will follow services in Johnson County Memorial Gardens.