Anna C. Blankenship of Sullivan, Missouri passed away on Sunday, August 25, 2002 at the age of 81 years. Mrs. Blankenship was born October 11, 1920 at Japan, Missouri to the late William and Elizabaeth (Schelich) Schmitt. She was the fourth of eleven children and attended Holy Martyrs of Japan Catholic School. On February 15,1941 she married Murrell Alfonso Blankenship at Holy Martyrs and to this marriage ten children were born. Anna was a life-long resident of the Japan area and for a time was employed by International Shoe Company and O’Sullivan Industries. She always had much love to give and was mother and grandmother to so many. Anna always had something to give to those in need, even when she had so little. She worked hard to support her family and was generous with everything she had. When the children were young she sold greeting cards and ran a bread route to raise extra money. Anna loved gardening and canned nearly everything the family ate. She also raised most of the meat and helped with the butchering. Anna taught through example, sharing when there was little to give. Her warmth and love was not confined to the Japan area as she often would extend her love around the world,supporting starving children in Third World countries. Anna was a strong matriarch who supported her family with a firm but loving hand. She provided the foundation that her diverse, generous and loving family is built upon. Anna will be remembered as a beloved and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be lovingly remembered by all who knew her. Anna was a very special person to many people who had a great capacity for compassion and love. Though she had a large number of children and grandchildren, she had the tremendous ability to make each and every one feel special to her, as she was not only generous with material wealth, but also with her love. She is survived by six sons, Gene Blankenship and wife Linda of Sullivan, Norman Blankenship of Union, Missouri, Harold Blankenship and wife Polly of Owensville,Missouri, Russell Blankenship and wife Virginia of Rosebud, Missouri, Curtis Blankenship and wife Sherri of Sullivan, and Roland Blankenship of Rosebud, Missouri;four daughters, Judy Wright of Owensville, Phyllis LaPlant and husband Ron of Farmington, Missouri, Rita Miller of St. Louis and Connie Jost and husband David of Sullivan; three brothers, Alvie Schmitt and wife Nadine of Sullivan, Raymond Schmitt and wife Rosemary of Sullivan and Clarence Schmitt and wife Mary Lou of Marceline;three sisters, Clara Rothmeyer of Gerald, Missouri, Virginia Cibulka and husband Jack of Sullivan and Irene Walton of St. Louis; 31 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, other relatives including sisters-in-law Eva Blankenship of Sullivan, Dolores Politte and husband Jim of Sullivan, Lilly Blankenship of Belton, Missouri Carol Schmitt of Lamar,Missouri and Evelyn Schmitt of Sullivan, and a host friends. Anna was preceded in death by her husband Murrell and grandson, Dion Wright, by one sister Elsie Schmitt, three brothers, Ralph Schmitt, Virgil Schmitt and Earl Schmitt (in infancy) and brothers-in-law, Vernon and Bernard Blankenship. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 28, 2002 from Holy Martyrs of Japan Catholic Church with the Rev. Fataher Donald Carey officiating. Interment was in the church cemetery. Visitation for Mrs. Anna Blankenship was held from 4:30 until 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday from the Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan. A parish prayer service was held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Sulivan Independent 8-28-2002 (MISSOURI)