FRANKLIN — Lena Rose Blankenship peacefully slipped into the arms of her precious Lord and Savior on Dec. 12, 2017.

Lena Rose was a loving and devoted wife to her late husband “Billy” for 61 wonderful years, and it was rare to ever see one without the other.
Lena was predeceased by her parents, Presley Lee Cobb and Thelma December Bradshaw “Mammy” Cobb, and two sisters, Sally Blythe and Oretha Newsome.
She was a 1953 graduate of Courtland High School, a member of Franklin Congregational Christian Church and a former member of Hunterdale Christian Church.
She always found the greatest pleasure in things that involved family and always looked forward to having the whole crowd at her house. She was famous for her potato salad and fried chicken, and always made room for anyone who showed up.
Her house was always decorated for every special holiday to make sure all the kids would enjoy themselves to the fullest. It would be hard to imagine anyone loving children more than Lena Rose. Her sunshine was in the faces of her four children and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and dozens of nieces and nephews.
She also started keeping several young couples’ kids in her and Billy’s home. She always had a long waiting list of parents wanting Mrs. Lena to care for their little ones. She wound up keeping most from birth until they started school, and had maintained rapport with many beyond their college years.
She accepted Christ as her Savior at a young age and devoted herself to a life in God’s service. She served on numerous boards and committees in every church she attended, and was always quick to prepare a dish for a family in need. One of her greatest passions was teaching Sunday School which she did for over 50 years.
Left to cherish her memory are one daughter, Julie B. Grizzard (Timmy); three sons, William H. Blankenship Jr. (Sandie), Michael L. Blankenship (Sandy) and Brandon P. Blankenship (Lynn); and one sister Bernice Carr Wilson.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, in Wright Funeral Home with the Rev. James H. Hyatt Jr. and Pastor Matthew Kidd officiating. The burial will follow at Poplar Spring Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday in the funeral home, and suggests that memorial donations be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or The Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughters.
www.wrightfuneralhome.org.