SIOUX CITY -- Lorraine Hartman Blenderman, 89, of Chandler, Ariz., formerly of Sioux City, passed away peacefully Friday, Jan. 9, 2009, in Chandler.
Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Sioux City, with the Rev. Michael Erpelding officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. today, with a rosary at 6 p.m. and a vigil service at 7 p.m. at Larkin Northside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home in Sioux City. Condolences may be sent online to
www.christysmith.com
.
Lorraine was born May 25, 1919, in Hinton, Iowa, to Frank and Winifred (Fry) Helm. She was the oldest of three children. She grew up on a farm near Hinton. She played starting forward on the Liberty High School basketball team. She was a wonderful dancer, learning from her father at a young age.
On Jan. 3, 1946, she married Raymond John Hartman in Le Mars, Iowa. The couple moved from Le Mars to Sioux Falls, S.D. for a short time. They then moved to Sioux City, where they lived until Ray's death in an automobile accident on April 27, 1968. She taught school at Webster Elementary School for many years. She taught third grade and enjoyed the children she taught. She retired from teaching in 1984 and sold her home on Dupont Street in Sioux City.
In June 1982, she married Ted Blenderman from Sioux City. The couple spent every winter in Mesa, Ariz. They eventually sold their home in Sioux City and spent all their time at the Mesa home. Ted died Nov. 17, 2002. She had suffered from dementia and Alzheimer's or many years.
She loved to golf and she and Ray were in a golf league for several years. She continued to golf throughout her years in Sioux City. She continued golfing in several leagues in Mesa and won low putts consistently. She had fun golfing and loved being on the course. She enjoyed her time making crafts. She took any class she could and was fantastic at needlepoint and crocheting. She also loved to sew and made beautiful clothes. She enjoyed making toys for her grandchildren. More than anything, she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She would travel every summer as long as she was able, spending several weeks in Iowa and Colorado with her children and grandchildren.
She is survived by her five children, Ron and Deb (Stallings) Hartman of Mesa, Ariz., Lynn (Hartman) and Bob Hutchinson of Denver, Colo., Richard and Kim (Johnson) Hartman of Woodward, Iowa, Randy and Luella (Steffen) Hartman of Colorado Springs, Colo., and La Rae (Hartman) and Rick Hill of Iowa City, Iowa; 12 grandchildren, Brent and Anna (Humprey) Hartman of Chandler, Ariz., Stacey (Hartman) and Rob Williams of Chandler, Bobby and Kim (Robinson) Hutchinson of Denver, Colo., Richie Hartman of Des Moines, Corey Hartman of Des Moines, Patrick and Lissa (Stevens) Hutchinson of Denver, Cobey and Jennifer (Woody) Hartman of Colorado Springs, Colo., Kari Hill of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Darrick Hartman of Colorado Springs, Katie (Hill) and Mike Miller of Lone Tree, Iowa, Bradley Hartman of Colorado Springs and Megan Hartman of Grimes, Iowa; six great-grandchildren, Sierra and Jax Williams of Chandler, Alexa Hartman of Chandler, Veda Hartman of Colorado Springs, Melanie Miller of Lone Tree,
Iowa, and Luke Hutchinson of Denver; and several sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and their extended families.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 22 years, Raymond John Hartman; her husband of 20 years, Ted Blenderman; her parents, Frank and Winifred Helm; a sister and brother-in-law, Reed and Maxine (Helm) Sinnard of Des Moines; and a brother and sister-in-law, Frank and Dorothy (Sweeney) Helm of South Sioux City.
She will be missed by her children -- we loved Lorraine and will share stories of her with our own children and grandchildren forever.