Blanche Adele Shane, age 87, went to be with her heavenly Father on December 10, 2023, surrounded in love by her children.

Blanche was born October 13, 1936, in Twisp, Washington. She loved growing up on the family farm outside of Twisp, helping with the animals and caring for her younger brother and two younger sisters. In December of 1949, the family moved to Kennewick, Washington where Blanche attended middle school and Kennewick High School. After high school, she waitressed at The Mart in Richland, Washington, working her way through nursing school at Columbia Basin College while living in the women’s dorms, eventually earning her LPN. During her career at Kadlec Methodist Hospital in Richland, she worked in numerous departments, but her favorite was in surgery. She also worked for doctor’s offices in the area and provided in-home care for a number of patients.

While working at Kadlec, she met the love of her life and future husband Edward Shane while he was a janitor at the hospital. They were eventually married at the hospital on January 3, 1958. They lived in Richland and Kennewick for most of their 58 years of marriage.

In 1960, they started their family when they adopted their daughter, Patty Fern (Armstrong). Four years later, they adopted their second child, Michael Edward Shane. They always made their kids feel special by letting them know that they were “chosen,” and with Blanche’s favorite phase of “I love you housefuls.”

During her family years, Blanche stayed at home to raise Patty and Mike. She kept herself busy providing daycare for other families, sewing clothes for herself and the kids, being active in Church of the Nazarene in Richland and Kennewick, creating ceramics and finding her passion in oil painting. She eventually opened her own art studio, “Sunshine Mini Gallery.” She shared her creativity and taught countless others her special techniques with oil paint, including summertime classes for the neighborhood kids and vacation bible school. Blanche was proficient in her artwork, showing and selling her paintings throughout the northwest for 3 decades. She was a dedicated member of Allied Arts and Beaux Arts, eventually holding the position of President of Beaux Arts in the mid to late 1970’s. Her family always supported her passion for showing her artwork, setting up and taking down easels of paintings at the Sidewalk Show, Art in the Park and at the Columbia Center Mall (to name a few). Learning how to properly stack paintings was a must!

In 1974, Blanche was honored with the distinction of being named Kennewick Woman of the Year. Her love of service and dedication to her family and the community was at the heart of who Blanche was.

Over the years, Blanche mostly cherished the time she spent with her family, with yearly fishing and camping trips, vacations to the family cabin in Winthrop, or any reason to gather as many family members together as possible for a potluck.

Blanche was known for her great sense of humor, outgoing nature, and her generous, loving expressions towards others.

Blanche was preceded in death by her parents, Jesse and Ruth Williams; her husband, Eddie; and her youngest sister, Mary. She is survived by her children, Patty Armstrong (Scott) of Richland and Mike Shane (Shelly) of Yakima; her sister Patty Kruschke (Scotty) of Kennewick; brother, Larry Williams of Kennewick; grandchildren, Megan Davin, Michaela Shane (Chris), Sierra Reiboldt (Nick), Jamie Thomas (Alec), and Michael Nathlich. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Avrey, Michael, Sena and Abel Wilks; Ayva Davin; Adelynn, Kaydence and Peyton Reiboldt; Apollo, Penelope, and Finnegan Thomas; and numerous nieces and nephews, who fondly called her “Auntie B.”                                                                                                                                                            Blanche’s loving, caring, and giving nature will be greatly missed by all that were privileged to have known and be loved by her.

A Celebration of life will be held on May 10th, 2024, at Richland Church of the Nazarene 1:30pm with a reception to follow.                                                                                                                             2500 Jericho Rd Richland WA, 99352