Doris Blankinship

Doris Ann Blankinship, 68, of Jackson, formerly of New Madrid, Missouri, passed away Monday, May 12, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

The past 15 years Doris struggled with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare brain disorder that causes progressive problems with control of gait and balance, along with complex eye movement and thinking problems.

She was born Dec. 14, 1945, in Avert, Missouri, to Raymond Lee and Loretta Sophronia Duffey. She was a 1963 graduate of Bloomfield High School. She and David Crockett Blankinship were married June 1, 1963, at the Church of Christ in Bloomfield, Missouri.

Doris was employed 35 years at Noranda Aluminum in New Madrid, retiring April 1, 2005. She was a member of Jackson Church of Christ and long time member of Bloomfield and New Madrid churches of Christ.

Loving survivors include her husband of nearly 51 years, David of Jackson; two children, Brent Alan Blankinship of Bryant, Arkansas, and Crystal Ann Blankinship of Cape Girardeau; six grandchildren, Mason Tyler Barry, Meghan Lea Meracle, Jordan Elizabeth Wynter Blankinship Finkbeiner, Jonnie Ann Daniels, Casey Ann Blankinship and Grant David Harkins; a great-granddaughter, Kinsley Ann Meracle; and three siblings, Barney Ray Duffey of Cape Girardeau, Wanda Lee Duffey of Florissant, Missouri, and Nelda Mae Warrick of Bloomfield.

She was preceded in death by her parents and two siblings, Valma Jean Dye and Billy Andrew Collins.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, and from 9 a.m. to service time Thursday at the Church of Christ on Shawnee Boulevard in Jackson.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the church, with Bernie Crum officiating. The committal service will be at noon in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Cure PSP Foundation, 30 E. Padonia Road, Suite 201, Timonium, MD 21093.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mccombsfuneralhome.com.