The man who confessed to killing Patricia Blanchard told police people would "thank him" for killing his ex-wife.
But outraged neighbors and friends insist the opposite is true."I totally disagree with that," said her boss, Jess Reid. "I just think that couldn't be true. I never met anyone who didn't like Patti."
Her longtime friend, Linda Singer, agreed. "No one had a bad word to say about Patti. She was just a really wonderful woman."
An activist who had a passion for her children and helping is the way most people describe Patti Blanchard, who was found dead in her own bed shortly after 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Her ex-husband, John E. Blanchard, 51, led police to her body and admitted he strangled her. At his arraignment in 3rd Circuit Court he told a judge he has "no regrets" about killing his former wife. The Blanchards' two children, ages 12 and 13, were in the house when she was killed.
They are now staying with Patti Blanchard's parents in Salt Lake City. The middle school the children attended asked volunteers with the Community of Caring to come into the classrooms to help youngsters deal with the devastation left by domestic violence.
Most of Patti Blanchard's friends heard about her brutal death on the radio, and were "shocked and angry" when they heard what her accused killer said about her.
"She was known to be a good mother and very active in the community," Reid said of Patti Blanchard. She started working at his real estate company last March.
"She was very hard working, very cheerful . . . she was just getting started in her career. Everyone in the office is hurt, upset and angry. I'm sure most people in town are shocked and upset that something like this would happen here."
Even those who'd known Patti Blanchard for years say they didn't suspect she was a victim of domestic abuse.
"She was a very strong, capable woman," said one neighbor. `It's hard to imagine her in an abusive situation."
Dixie Geisdorf met Patti Blanchard through the Park City Education Foundation, which Patti was instrumental in developing.
"I never heard her talk about physical abuse," Geisdorf said. "My initial thought (upon hearing about the slaying) was that it was totally on impulse. It really surprised me, because I never saw this in him at all."
Patti Blanchard, 46, did seem an unlikely candidate for one trapped in abusive relationship. She served the community as the past president of Parley's Park PTA, was a member of the Park City Chamber of Commerce-Board of Directors and a member of Park City's Leadership 2000 program.
"She was very strong and very determined," Geisdorf said. "She knew what she wanted."
However, according to police, the couple had a long history of domestic problems. Some saw the couple together as recently as last week. One neighbor said the night she was killed her ex-husband had followed her on a date, threatened the man and then threatened his ex-wife.
Friends also credit Patti Blanchard with keeping the family afloat when John Blanchard was convicted of issuing bad checks, a second-degree felony, and two counts of fraud, Class A misdemeanors in October 1990.
Patti Blanchard's family plans a memorial service at noon Saturday at the Monument Park 11th Ward chapel, 1565 S. Foothill Dr. In her obituary, her family requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Emery and Michael Blanchard Scholarship Fund, First Security Bank, 2001 E. 1300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, or to another charity.
Friends insist it's not just her children who've suffered an immeasurable loss.
"We used to do spaghetti dinners (to raise money for local schools)," Singer said. "She was one of those people who was always in there working, giving of her time and energy."