Blanche E. Cousins' Obituary
Blanche Estelle Conner was born June 26th, 1958, to Ronald Wilson Calvin Conner and Hazel Evelyn Gandy in Sacramento, CA. Blanche was named after Ron’s mother who died giving birth to him. He was the youngest of 13. Blanche had 2 older brothers, Ronald Conner and Jerry Conner. Her father died just two days after her birth from pancreatic cancer. Her Mother remarried a year later to Raymond Conner, her father’s older brother and they had two more children, Edna Marie Conner and Harold Wayne Conner. Her family moved around a little with the military but eventually settled in Escondido California. She went to Lincoln and Conway Elementary Schools, Grant Middle School and Escondido High School. While in High School, Blanche became a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and became a member of the Escondido 3rd Ward.
She went to Palomar Junior College for a year and then Brigham Young University for a year. It was then that she determined she wanted to serve a mission for the church and began to work to save money to go.
In July 1980, Blanche was called to serve a full time mission in the Austria Vienna Mission. She served faithfully for 18 months and returned home to Escondido in January of 1982.
In August of that year she started to date Randy Cousins and on March 26th, 1983, they were married in the Los Angeles Temple for time and all eternity. They were blessed with 4 children; Megan Marie, Bob Ronald, Thomas Conner, and Rachel Mary. They have also been blessed with two beautiful grandsons, Isaiah Randall Turley, and Luke Daniel Turley.
Blanche will be remembered for her constant smile and her determination to help. She has served in many calling in the church. She worked in the nursery, as a primary teacher, a Sunday School teacher including Gospel Doctrine. She served as a Young Women’s President and as each of the counselors as well as Laurels advisor. She served three times as a Relief Society President and many more as counselor and a teacher.
Blanche had the ability to make those around her feel important and valuable. She had strong opinions but rarely shared them publicly. She wanted everyone to feel like they were giving the best they could give. She loved to help the kids with their school projects and spent many late nights on projects that were “surprises” to her. She went to every program, play, recital, game or event that her kids participated in. She loved to play board games and spent years “playing games” with modified rules so that when her kids were old enough they would play the real games with her. She was their biggest fan no matter what they were involved in.
Blanche was the epitomized how to endure to the end. When cancer took her ability to walk and ultimately to be independent, she still laughed was still kind, offering to do things to help her family that she was not able to execute, because it was her nature to do for others. She will be sorely missed. Her example to us is her greatest legacy.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 am, Monday, February 14, 2011 at the Sandy Hills Ward Chapel, 1475 East 8600 South, Sandy, Utah with a viewing one hour prior to services.
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