Bette A. Blanchfield

Bette Ann Blanchfield, of Maitland, went home September 15th to be with her Lord, beloved husband, dear son and many other loved ones waiting for her arrival in heaven. She was 91. Born in Pittsburgh, she moved to Erie, PA as a teenager. She attended Grove City College. She met her future husband, Gerald (Jerry) Blanchfield, at a summer church choir practice in Erie while in college, They were married in February 1955, and she moved to an Erie suburb, where she operated the family farm's fruit stand.

Her easy smile and natural friendliness suited the job there well for 45 years before retiring. She was also a Pennsylvania Republican committee woman. Yet she said raising her two children - Vicki, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., and Gerald Rick, Harbor Creek - was what she considered her most satisfying accomplishment. She and her husband became Florida snowbirds in the mid-1980's, residing in Sanford and then Debary. They especially enjoyed taking annual winter cruises together to such destinations as the Caribbean, Hawaii, Panama Canal, and Bermuda. 

Her love of travel continued after her beloved husband's death in 2001, when she journeyed widely across the U.S., Canada and Europe. A world traveler, her trips - often cruises - included visits to Tahiti, the Meditteranean, Scandinavia, Russia, the Mexican Riviera, South America, the Holy Land, Australia, and New Zealand, usually with her children. 

A lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates fan, she also enjoyed scrapbooking and attending craft shows, orchestra concerts, plays and Winter Park social events on Park Avenue. She and her daughter were members of the Mary Virginia Cabell chapter of the Daughters of the American Revoluion (NSDAR). (They previously served in the local William P. Duval and Sallie Harrison NSDAR chapters). 

Over the years, their strong bond developed beyond the traditional mother/daughter relationship; they considered each other "best friends." She was also a member of Winter Park Presbyterian Church, the Morse Museum of Winter Park, and the Woman's Club of Winter Park, where she developed many meaningful and lasting friendships. She became a social butterfly during this time, in no small part thanks to her keen sense of humor, upbeat personality and thoughtfulness. She had the ability to make those she met feel special. One of her endearing assets was her willingness to volunteer for service projects there - especially at the group's annual rummage sale. Club members especially appreciated her retail skills honed at the fruit stand years earlier. 

She successfully recovered from a major stroke in early 2023, after diligent and arduous rehabilitation and entered her final life chapter at The Grove at Trelago senior community in Maitland, where she again made many dear friends. In fact, she never met a stranger during her lifetime. She quickly gained a reputation at her new home for her uncanny luck at Bingo! and as a crafty, highly skilled Rumicube player. 

She was a precious gift to so many but it was finally her time and the Lord called her home.

In addition to her husband of 46 years, she is predeceased by her loving son, Gerald Rick Blanchfield; mother, Virginia McCray Carlson; Stepbrother, E.E. McCray; and sister, Barbara Coleman. 

In addition to her daughter, survivors include son-in-law Brantley Smith; daughter-in-law Julie (Greenville, SC); and several nieces and nephews.

Interment will be in Erie, PA.

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