Blanche Mae Gass

BLANCHE MAE GASS Memorial services for longtime Cortez resident Blanche Mae Gass will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 10 at the Cortez First United Methodist Church. Blanche was born on January 10, 1912 in Jackson, Mich. the daughter of Clarence Hungerford and Maggie Mae (LaFollette) Purchase. She passed away on Monday, December 7, 2009 at Vista Grande Inn at the age of 97. On January 1, 1938, Blanch married Howard Allen Gass in Angola, Ind. Blanche devoted many years to the Hospital Auxiliary and she belonged to United Methodist Women. Blanche used to do a lot of sewing and knitting. Baking was her specialty, she was known as the �Cookie Lady.� In her recent years, Blanche was very active with her friends at Vista Grande Inn playing Bingo and singing with the groups that came to visit or just visiting with friends. Blanche enjoyed her time spent with her granddaughter and friends that came to read to her, and she enjoyed saving little morsels for her faithful friend �Sproket.� Surviving Blanche are her children, Judy Anne Walter and husband, Richard of Dolores, Pat Johnson of Las Vegas, Nev., Linda Olson of Tucson, Ariz., and Howard Gass Jr. of Fort Worth, Tex.; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and her sister, Dorothy Winchell and husband, Leslie of Mesa, Ariz. Blanche was preceded in death by her parents; and by her husband, Howard Gass. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Blanche�s name to Cortez First United Methodist Church, 515 N. Park, Cortez, Colo. 81321