VERLENE BLANKENSHIP

MORLEY -- Verlene Blankenship, 79, formerly of Morley, died Friday, July 9, 1999, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center.

She was born Oct. 18, 1919, at Hornersville, daughter of W.V. and Mable Hudson McArthur.

She worked for the Oran hat factory for several years and sold Avon cosmetics for 18 years.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Morley.

On Nov. 5, 1938, she married R.M. "Rube" Blankenship at Benton. He died May 2, 1982.

She is survived by a son, Larry Blankenship of Coal Valley, Ill.; a daughter, Sharon Grooms of Morley; two brothers, Con McArthur of Morley and Burford McArthur of Peoria, Ariz.; two sisters, Chloeta Martin of Wadsworth, Ohio, and Chloene Witte of Nacogdoches, Texas; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A brother and sister preceded her in death.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston.

Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the funeral chapel, with the Rev. Dennis Cebulak officiating. Burial will follow in Forest Hills Memorial Gardens in Morley.